


Calm

by jitterygummy



Series: The Calm Series [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Mostly Fluff, One shots that accidentally grew a plot, Redeemed Kylo Ren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 64,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21922231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jitterygummy/pseuds/jitterygummy
Summary: Five years after helping the Resistance defeat the First Order, Kylo Ren still struggles with being accepted by the Reformed Republic. Rey knows how to calm him.Originally intended as a serious of one shots that accidentally grew a plot. Written before TLJ and TROS.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: The Calm Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1578901
Comments: 13
Kudos: 56





	1. Calm

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a Tumblr post by emodarthkylo and official-reylo. Originally intended as a serious of one shots that accidentally grew a plot. 
> 
> Repost after I previously deleted this work. Written before TLJ and TROS.

Rey curled up on the bed, holding the datapad closer than necessary to her face as she read. She had never found time for leisurely reading during her days as a scavenger, and every moment not spent training or traveling or managing the small school for Force-sensitives was spent in front of a datapad devouring any tale she could find. The practical side of her knew that her time reading would be better spent finding additional information on the Force or past Jedi, but she was addicted to the fantasy stories about other worlds in distant galaxies and the fairy tale myths from various planets. She blamed Kylo Ren for getting her to read fairy tales, for he had been incredulous that she had never heard of the tale of a mythical being who could control the elements without the use of the Force.

She sank further into the bed, feeling the three knots in her hair dig lightly into her head as she pressed against the pillows. It was getting late, and her eyes were starting to drift closed when the door slid to the side gently. Kylo stormed inside without allowing the door to fully open, and he let out a growl of annoyance as his broad shoulder hit the edge of the opening door.

Rey dropped her datapad onto the bed as she jerked awake. "What's wrong?"

His lightsaber hilt slammed onto the nightstand with a loud smash, and Kylo turned to face her, his gloved hand running through his black hair. "The _Senate_ is conducting another inquiry."

The bitterness in his voice cut through the air, and Rey let out a long sigh. Kylo had defected from the First Order nearly five years earlier and had been a key component in bringing down the organization. Small pockets of the First Order occasionally rose to cause problems, and every time they received reports of causalities caused by the Order, Kylo's loyalties to the Reformed Republic were questioned. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly." Kylo unclasped the black cloak around his neck and tossed it onto a small chair near the bed. He wore traditional Jedi attire, which was black in color, but it did not help his case that he did not identify strongly with the Light like Luke and Rey. His control of the Force was uniquely gray, and the fact that he still practiced some techniques of the Dark Side made most people wary of him.

Rey moved her datapad onto the floor and scooted over to Kylo as he sat on the edge of the bed. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her head on his right shoulder. His agitation was evident through the Force as he took a deep breath. His temper had improved significantly over the years – Rey liked to think she a contributing factor to that – but he sometimes exploded in rage. Rey was glad he had set his lightsaber down already.

He rested his head against hers, and a few of his dark locks of hair brushed into her eye. "Haven't I already proven myself? Every other inquiry has resulted the same. They're getting tedious."

"Luke will vouch for you, you know that. If the Senate hasn't realized he trusts you by bringing you on to teach Padawans lightsaber combat, then they're all idiots." Rey pressed a small kiss to next to the scar that ran across his face. Kylo chose to keep the mark as a reminder of his past.

He turned to face her and kissed her desperately, his hand sliding up to the side of her neck. Rey tangled her fingers through his long hair and kissed him back for a few moments before she pulled away. He was always careful not to harm her, but she never allowed him to sleep with her when he was in a foul mood. Kylo sometimes forgot his own physical strength, especially if he was angry. Several bent and shattered datapads were testament to that.

Kylo pressed his forehead to hers and moved his hand to the base of her skull, his gloved fingers brushing over some loose strands of her hair. Rey closed her eyes as he gently tugged out the lowest tie in her hair. He lifted his head and slipped off his gloves, throwing them to the floor before he began carefully running his fingertips through the loose portion of her hair.

Rey let a soft smile reach her lips, and she closed her eyes as he worked gently to untangle each strand. She rarely kept her hair down, and he enjoyed taking out each bob of hair, as if Rey's free hair was something special for only him to see. Kylo moved to sit behind her and continued to work methodically through the tangles in her hair. He did everything with an intense concentration, and he took deliberate pains to make sure that he did not pull her hair.

Kylo was quiet, but Rey could still sense his annoyance at the Senate. "Jessika Dameron won't stop talking about your lightsaber." Telling him of the younglings that she frequently looked after usually took his mind off other matters.

"Oh?" His gentle movements of her felt as if he were messaging her scalp, and Rey let out a small sigh of bliss. He lightly began sliding the second tie out of her hair.

"She's upset that none of the practice sabers have crossguards like yours. She wants to build one just like yours when she becomes a Padawan, purple color and everything."

Kylo gave a low chuckle, and Rey sensed his emotions settling down with the conversation and task. "Did you tell her color isn't entirely a choice?"

"Of course not! She was far too excited about it!" Rey's head moved forward with a laugh, and she gave a soft gasp as the movement pulled a small section of her hair that was in Kylo's hands.

Kylo's fingers immediately moved to her scalp, and his thumb rubbed in gentle circles where her hair had pulled. "Sorry."

A soft groan escaped Rey's lips, and he continued to rub his thumb deftly over her scalp as his other hand worked to untangle every strand of her hair. The last hair tie finally pulled loose, and her eyes fluttered closed as she enjoyed his attentions.

Kylo combed his fingers through her hair as he finished, and Rey found herself leaning into his fingers as he massaged them lightly over her entire scalp. His nails suddenly worked tenderly at the base of her skull, and she let out a noise akin to a purr.

One of his hands slid to her shoulder and gently pushed down the light cloth covering it. Kylo brushed his lips against her skin, and Rey sighed contentedly. "I love you."

She could feel Kylo's smile spread against her skin. "I know."


	2. Younglings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt given by JuliaAurelia! 

Rey balanced the roll of bandages, burn cream, and glass of fizzypop in her hands as she hurried down the hall. She tripped over the edge of a long rug in the hall – she had never gotten used to the form of décor considering Jakku never had any use for rugs when they just got covered in sand – and used the Force to catch the drink from falling from her hands. The bandages went rolling a distance away and the tube of cream bounced in the opposite direction.

She grumbled to herself and snatched up the burn cream before walking after the roll of bandages. Why they could not get that practice droid fixed, considering this was the second time it had burned one of the younglings, she would never know. Perhaps she would shut it down later and tinker with it herself. She put the tube of cream between her teeth and held her hand out for the roll of bandages. It slid slowly over the floor before lifting into her hand, but she barely noticed it nudging her fingertips as her attention focused through a nearby doorway.

Kylo stood with his back to her, his black cloak wrapped around his lean body. Two Senators, one a Rodian and the other a Twi'lek, spoke in louder-than-necessary voices. "We just don't understand why you can't abandon the Dark Side completely, or even take your birth name. There are concerns that you will lead the young Padawans down the wrong path."

"If you can't understand why I am neither fully Light or Dark, then I don't understand why neither of you can look like humans." Both Senators took a step back, looking offended. "My point, Senators, is that I cannot force myself to become fully Light. Where I stand with the Force is an innate part of my identity, and I have already given my reasons for refusing that name. As you saw with the inquiry hearing last week, Master Skywalker trusts me with the Padawans. Are you insinuating that you do not trust his judgement?"

The Rodian and Twi'lek glanced at each other. "Ah, well, of course not, but – "

"Good," Kylo cut off the Twi'lek with a raised hand. "If you will excuse me, then, I am late for training."

He turned and swept down the hall toward Rey, his cloak rippling around his legs. His expression softened slightly as he saw her, and he put a hand on her shoulder for a moment before he continued toward a training room.

Rey sighed and walked in the opposite direction, still carrying the tube of cream between her teeth. The three oldest younglings at the small Jedi school greeted her in their own small training room, and Rey knelt in front of Jessika Dameron. She handed her the glass of fizzypop and started to lightly rub the cream onto the youngling's forearm.

Jessika took a drink from the glass. "This wouldn't've happened if I had a crossguard lightsaber."

Rey resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she wrapped the bandage around Jessika's arm. "Unless you can twist a crossguarded lightsaber in a full one-eighty in under a second, I don't think that would have saved you from the evil malfunctioning droid, Jess."

Jessika huffed and finished her drink. The other two younglings – another human female and a Togruta male – were peering through one of the windows in the room, which overlooked an outdoor space reserved for practicing lightsaber combat. "Look, Jess! Master Ren is actually using his lightsaber!"

Rey was in the process of taping down the bandage when Jessika jumped up and ran to the window. She sighed and moved behind her, grabbing the swinging bandage and attaching some tape to secure it down. She looked up through the window, seeing Kylo's familiar purple blade swinging in his hands. She did not watch his training sessions frequently, but she knew he preferred to watch and correct rather than use his own lightsaber.

"Why don't we go down and watch? You're all almost Padawans. It'll be good to see what one of their training sessions looks like." All three sets of eyes turned to her as one, and Rey grinned as she saw the excitement on each face. "I'll take that as a yes. Let's go."

She made the younglings walk behind her as they descended the stairs to the outdoor training area. Kylo would not thank her for letting three younglings barrel into a training session when lightsabers were in use.

The sounds of lightsabers clashing together rang through the air as they walked outside. Rey held her arms out to keep the younglings from surging forward and watched as the blue blades belonging to the two Padawans swung and swiped at Kylo. He held his own lightsaber in a single-handed grip, keeping his free hand close to his chest. He took a step back, batted away the lightsaber of one of the Padawans, and turned to the side. His free hand shot forward, and the two apprentices flew back onto the ground with the Force.

The Padawans groaned and grabbed their lightsabers as they stood. Kylo chuckled softly, his humming blade retreating back into his hilt. "And you two think Form Six isn't worthwhile. Do you see that with the proper training, it can be more useful than the other forms?"

The Padawans grumbled to each other and nodded. "Yes, Master Ren."

Kylo placed his lightsaber at the belt around his waist, his eyes meeting Rey's for a moment. "Why don't you two get some water, and we'll continue in ten minutes." He made his way over to Rey and the younglings, crouching down to meet the eye level of the two girls and Togruta boy. "Counting the days until you're Padawans?"

Jessika nodded enthusiastically. "Can we see your lightsaber, Master Ren?"

The corner of Kylo's mouth quirked into a half-smile, and he held out his lightsaber hilt, igniting the blade in front of him. A collective noise of admiration came from each of the younglings as the blade hummed gently in his hands. Rey marveled at how trusting they were of the former Dark Sider. Almost every Senator would go screaming for the hills if they saw him with his lightsaber unsheathed; many already went so far as to require him to leave it with Rey or Luke if they spoke with him. All the younglings learned about the First Order and Kylo's role as an enforcer within the organization before he had turned away from that path. They seemed to clearly see his good intentions more than any adult – and Senator – ever could.

"How do you get it to be purple? All the other ones we've seen are blue or green." The Togruta youngling reached out excitedly and touched the hilt of the lightsaber with two fingers.

Rey expected Kylo to push his hand away, but he deactivated the blade before he allowed him to touch it for a moment. She rarely saw him interact with children, but he became gentler and more patient around them. It was a side of him that he never let Senators see. "That depends on your kyber crystal, when you find one yourselves."

Jessika touched the edges of the hilt where the crossguards extended. "I want one just like yours."

Kylo gave a soft laugh and shook his head. "My old crystal was cracked, so crossguards were necessary to stabilize the power. I got used to fighting with them, so I kept the design when I created this one." He wrapped his gloved hand around his hilt and placed it back at his belt. "You all should create a lightsaber unique to yourselves, not because you like mine, or Rey's staff, or Master Luke's traditional saber."

The younglings nodded and watched him stand with equal looks of admiration. Rey grinned down at them, her heart bursting with love and affection for each of them, including the gray Jedi in front of her. Kylo was an excellent teacher, and she knew the acceptance of the Padawans and younglings kept him from leaving to avoid the Senate's constant watch on him.

Rey leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss on the side of his face. Kylo pushed her away lightly – he was never one for public affection – and growled under his breath at her. Rey swatted his shoulder. "Did you just swear at me in Wookie?"

Kylo's expression was one of a child's whose hand was caught in a bag of sweets. "I wasn't aware you knew those words."


	3. Disturbance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt given by orevale on AO3!

The disturbance woke them both in the night. Kylo's arm around Rey's middle tightened protectively for a moment as they jerked awake, and the warmth of his body left her back as he sat up. His hands rose defensively in front of him in preparation to use the Force as Rey snatched her long lightsaber staff from where it rested against the wall near her.

They remained tense for several minutes and then slowly relaxed as they realized their perceived threat was not in the room. Kylo's hands lowered, and his dark eyes closed as his body went still. Rey remained silent and watched him focus upon the Force as she leaned her staff back against the wall. The gray Jedi was more sensitive to the Force than Rey, although she had more natural talent in lightsaber combat, honed by years of fending for herself on Jakku. The balance of their abilities made them a strong team in addition to the bond they shared through the Force.

Kylo's voice was low and rough from sleep as he finally murmured, "It's from a system in the Mid Rim, but I can't tell what caused it."

Rey crossed her legs in front of her, her eyes resting on the pale skin of his muscular back. "Luke will want an investigation if it was that powerful."

He nodded and ran a hand through his tousled black hair. "You'll have to leave, then."

Rey felt a pang of loneliness from both herself and the man before her. Luke almost always sent her to check on disturbances in the Force. People generally did not cooperate with Kylo Ren out of mistrust, and the Senate refused to allow him to be the only Jedi present at the school. The lack of faith in him caused them to part for several days while Rey went off Coruscant. They both were acutely familiar with being alone for most of their lives, and neither particularly liked leaving the other now that they were so used to spending every night together.

She slid forward and rested her head on Kylo's bare shoulder. "Why don't we wait to talk to Luke in the morning?"

Kylo turned his head and pressed his lips gently against Rey's temple. Her mouth spread into a soft smile, and she pulled him down to lie next to her. His dark hair spread against the pillow, and he wrapped his long arms around her thin frame to pull her close. "I think that's an excellent idea."

* * *

Rey eased the shuttle through the clouds and glanced at the readings in front of her. The scanners told her that trees spanned most of the landscape, but a clearing was not far from their entry point. Kylo flicked a series of switches from the co-pilot's seat, and Rey let the vessel glide into the clearing as the landing gear lowered.

A twinge ran through Rey as they touched onto the ground, and one glance at Kylo told her he had felt the same disturbance ripple through the Force once again. It was like an itch that she could not scratch, and its intensity had grown the closer they had flown to Kashyyyk.

Kylo pressed a small button, and the ramp lowered slowly to the ground. Rey ran the sequence to shut down the roaring engines and listened to their slow whirring as she grabbed her saberstaff and slung it across her back. The two Jedi descended down the ramp together, and immediately entered into the middle of a waiting group of five Wookies.

Two immediately began speaking rapidly in a series of rumbles, growls, and purrs, and although Rey had learned the basics of their language, she could not follow the two speaking at such a quick pace. Kylo, however, nodded slowly next to her. She was fairly certain it was his second language, if any of Luke's stories of him as a boy were true (not that Kylo liked the Jedi Master telling them). His skills were why Luke had sent him with Rey.

"They say that the human colony not far from here was attacked by some First Order sympathizers last night." Kylo's voice was soft as he translated for her. "The Wookies helped defeat them, but not before heavy casualties and damages were sustained."

Rey felt the disturbance ripple through her uncomfortably in the direction of where she assumed the colony was located. The disruption was likely from the sheer loss of life, but she decided they should investigate just in case any more First Order members were still nearby. "Can we walk around the colony?"

The Wookie nearest her nodded and tilted his head toward the trees to Rey's right with a soft purr.

"He says we can take a speeder since it's a long walk there." Kylo grumbled a soft thanks in the Wookie's language, and Rey followed him to the single waiting speeder bike nearby. Her eyes grazed over the machine as she automatically cataloged the parts that could fetch the best sum of food. Scavenger habits died hard.

She clambered on first and caught Kylo roll his eyes as he slid on behind her. They frequently argued about who was the better pilot, but she won all three Starfighter races they had somewhat illegally staged with Poe Dameron's help.

Rey fired the engines, and Kylo's arm slid around her waist as the bike lurched forward. They moved choppily forward for a few feet as she got used to the controls, and he chuckled softly behind her. She elbowed his side a little harder than necessary. "Oh, like you could do any better."

Kylo's stomach vibrated against her back as he laughed harder, but he did not comment as they flew more smoothly into the trees. Rey followed a winding path through the trees for nearly an hour, all the while feeling the tug of the Force calling her to continue forward.

The speeder bike entered the small city that humans inhabited on Kashyyyk, and Rey felt Kylo's lean body stiffen behind her as they took in the devastation wrought by the First Order. Smoke billowed gently from several buildings, and droids of various models lay in pieces from failed attempts to protect their dead masters beside them. Survivors in emergency uniforms moved among the wreckages of buildings along with a few Wookies who had remained to help.

Guilt flowed through the Force from Kylo, and he made no attempt to hide it from Rey as she slowed the speeder to a halt. She knew he had no affiliation to the pockets of the First Order, but he continuously beat himself up for helping them remain in power for so long. He never felt like he fully atoned for his actions, and the Senate's obvious mistrust did not help.

They both walked among the destroyed section of the colony in silence. The unbalanced Force in the city hummed chaotically within Rey as she watched the emergency workers pull a cloth over another body. The dire need for more Jedi in the galaxy to keep the peace had never been more evident to her.

A sharp cry wailed through the air, and the disturbance in the Force nearly knocked her over. Kylo ran down the street and stopped by a collapsed building. Rey followed him after a moment and picked her way over the rubble as he stepped on top of the jagged stones. Their boots crunched over broken glass, and Rey felt the Force stop her from taking another step as they neared a tall pile of debris. Kylo lifted his hands, and several pieces of stone shifted and rose into the air at his command.

Rey's heart nearly stopped as her eyes fell upon a dead woman clutching a small infant in her arms. The child – miraculously still alive – wailed and shifted where it lay against the ground, and a dead man lay with an arm wrapped around the woman.

Rey slid carefully down to where the family lay as Kylo set the stones down a few feet away. He called for some emergency workers to help, and she knelt down, gently picking up the crying baby. "Poor little boy…"

Rey held the infant against her chest, trying desperately to calm the increasingly loud cries. She had really no experience with babies, and she tried bouncing him gently in her arms as she had once seen in a holovid she had once watched with Kylo.

Kylo delicately lifted the bodies of the child's parents with the Force, taking care to set them gingerly on the ground outside the collapsed building. He turned to her as the emergency personnel identified the man and woman. Rey brushed a tear from the child's cheek with her thumb and smiled down at him. He only cried louder and squirmed in her hold. One of his chubby arms flailed out toward Kylo, and the tiny fingers brushed over his arm. Her eyebrow rose in curiosity, and she slowly moved the infant into the grey Jedi's arms.

Kylo looked intensely uncomfortable holding the child, and he tried giving the baby back to Rey. She shook her head and took a step away, forcing him to keep hold of him. The cries quieted as he very slowly held the infant against his chest. He looked up at Rey suddenly, his usually dark eyes glinting a stunning hazel in the bright sunlight. "He's Force-sensitive."

Rey felt her mouth pulling into a large smile as she watched her partner gaze at the child with a look she had rarely seen on him. "He seems to like you."

Kylo's eyes drifted to the child's dead parents, and an expression of sorrow crossed his face. Rey knew he was thinking of Han and Leia and the chance he had missed to actually know his parents. The child gave a soft whimper and curled against his chest, his tiny fingers clenched into little fists. "He's orphaned… He caused the disturbance."

Her instincts told her that his words were correct. The attack on the colony created an intense unbalance, but the disturbance radiated from the child who had lost his parents. The little life in Kylo's arms had enough power to be able to disrupt the Force from so far away. Rey resolved to make sure he would grow up surrounded by those who cared for him and be able to make his own decisions, unlike the childhood she and Kylo had both experienced.

Kylo watched child with a curious expression as they slowly headed back to the speeder bike, and Rey sensed his emotions settling as he rested his free hand over the back of the infant's neck and head. The disturbance began to dissipate as the infant began to fall asleep in the Jedi's arms. Perhaps the Force meant to send them a child that could help heal the invisible wounds Kylo Ren carried with him every day.


	4. Contentment

The chronometer clicked gently on the table beside Rey as she tapped her datapad's screen to continue the tale. A deep green blanket lay over her legs, and a small heating unit blasted warm air over her. Coruscant's weather was cooler than Jakku (almost every planet was, to be honest), and although it had been her home for nearly four years, she could never get used to the cold that seemed to seep inside at this time of year.

"Dear stars, it's hot in here." Kylo's tired voice broke her concentration on the story. Rey looked up to see him wander slowly over to her, his black hair messy and sticking up on one side. Loose black pants and a short-sleeve shirt hung from his tall frame as he sat on the couch near her, taking care to avoid the hot air.

Rey glanced at the chronometer for a moment. It read just past midnight. "I thought you went to bed early since you have that meeting tomorrow."

"Can't sleep." Kylo used the Force to turn the heating unit away from the couch so that he could move closer to her. His broad form looked too big for the couch as his folded one of his legs underneath the other.

Rey studied his long face for a moment, noticing the exhaustion etched in his features. Neither of them were strangers to insomnia, but she knew he had been getting worse since the accusations had begun. "You know they can't keep you from Arian. You're the only one he'll calm down for, and he keeps levitating small things when he's upset."

Kylo shrugged and avoided her gaze as he stared at the heating unit. "And you know my past. I can't be fully Light."

Rey reached up and smoothed his rumpled hair down slowly. "No, you're balanced. If you wanted to turn future Jedi to the Dark Side, you already had plenty of chances with the Padawans and younglings.

"The Padawans weren't orphaned because of the First Order. The newest theory is I orchestrated the attack so that I could bring Arian here without rising suspicion." He interlaced his fingers together and let out a bitter laugh. "What a terrible job I apparently did at that."

She snorted at this and rolled her eyes, sliding closer to Kylo. "If they want the Jedi to help them keep the peace, they have to accept you as one of those Jedi. Besides, if you were Dark, your kyber crystal would've turned red, not purple when you built your lightsaber."

Kylo sighed and wrapped an arm around Rey's shoulders, and she could feel a slight tremble in his muscles. It suddenly hit her how glad she was that he was willing to speak his mind to her. She could sense he was close to bursting, although she could not tell his anger was directed toward the Senate or more toward himself. He took a shuddering breath and ran his free hand through his hair, letting some strands slide loosely back over his face.

Rey smiled up at him and pressed a kiss to his jawline. "The Senators are all idiotic, especially when they know they can't do anything to risk Luke moving the school off-system. And Poe would raise holy terror if he couldn't watch Jessika become a Jedi."

Kylo's rich, genuine laugh filled the air, and Rey's heart soared at the rare sound. "True. And Luke is taking the younglings to find their own crystals next week."

Rey grinned at the thought of Jessika stubbornly refusing to let her lightsaber become anything other than a replica of Kylo's. "You'll have more students soon. Think you can handle those three?"

He nodded, running a hand through his hair again as he glanced at her with a soft smile. "Oh, I think I can find plenty of ways to expend their excess energy."

She took his hand in hers and ran her thumb gently over the top of it as they fell into a comfortable silence. Familiar ridges on his skin rippled under the pad of her thumb that marked three scars out of the numerous that blemished his body. He bore so many that she did not yet know the stories behind them all yet; some he found more difficult to talk about than others. The small scars that randomly decorated his hands and forearms included those he had not spoken of yet.

Rey opened her mouth to begin the question but stopped as a small wave of a disturbance rushed through the Force. Kylo let out a long sigh and got to his feet, rubbing his hands over his face for a moment. "Someone's upset Arian again."

He padded out of the room, and Rey curled back up on the couch, moving the heating unit back toward her. They had only found the child a few days earlier, but Arian quickly got attached to Kylo. He would let the caretakers feed and change him, but the gray Jedi was the only one that could hold him for an extended time without inducing sharp cries.

She grabbed her datapad and returned to the story, rubbing her eyes as she yawned. She really needed to stop reading so late in the night, but Kylo mentioned certain stories he had been told as a child that she wanted to know for Arian someday. She had read the one about the beautiful Togruta falling in love with the cursed clone three times already.

A soft giggle sounded from the doorway, and Rey looked up again to see Kylo holding the small boy in his arms. Arian curled up against the Jedi's chest, not looking at all upset at being held by his favorite adult. Rey smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. "Should I be jealous of all the attention you give him?"

Kylo snorted and dropped down next to her again, his movements careful as he held the child. "I'm starting to think he's figured out that causing disturbances will get me to come."

Rey raised an eyebrow and laughed, running a hand over Arian's small back as Kylo let the boy sit on his knee. He held the tiny hands in his own, smiling down at the giggling child. Rey wondered if showing the Senate this side of the Jedi would quell their constant fears of him, for seeing him with the child and any of the younglings at the school only made her love him more.

Kylo glanced at her, his eyes falling on the datapad that still displayed the words of the story. "What are you reading?"

She shrugged and picked up the datapad, feeling the tips of her ears burn in embarrassment. She had not told him that she was reading nursery tales. "Ah… erm, _The Seven Ewoks._ "

Kylo grinned and glanced Arian, who let out a loud yawn. "I think Rey should read to us, don't you?"

Rey took one look at the child on Kylo's lap and felt any protests fade away as she sighed and nodded. "Fine. But only the first chapter because you both need to go to bed."

Kylo grinned and leaned back against the couch, pulling Arian close to him as Rey began reading aloud.

" _A long time ago, there lived a king and queen who ruled over a planet in a galaxy far, far away. The queen was kind and lovely, and every person of every species in the galaxy adored her. However, the queen was sad that she did not have a child."_

Kylo rested his head against the back of the couch, pulling his feet up under him as he ran a hand over Arian's back gently. Rey reached up a hand to run through Kylo's dark hair absently as she continued.

" _One chilly day, the queen was doing needle work while gazing out her ebony window at the new fallen snow. A najoon flew by the window, startling the queen, and she pricked her finger. A single drop of blood fell on the snow outside her window. As she looked at the blood on the snow, she whispered to herself, 'Oh, how I wish that I had a child that had skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony.'"_

Rey paused in the reading and turned to Kylo to ask what the story referred to as needle work when she fell silent. The Jedi and child both had their eyes closed, their breaths deep and even as they slept. She pulled her green blanket over the two and slowly allowed sleep to take her as she curled up next to her partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love these two. The story Rey reads is a slightly modified version of the Brothers' Grimm Snow White. Brownie posts to anyone who guesses the other fairy tale mentioned!


	5. Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I highly recommend listening to 'I Found' by Amber Run during this chapter.

"Kylo, where are we going?"

He glanced back at her, his gloved hand wrapped around hers as they stepped around trees and fallen branches. "We're almost there."

His excitement, punctuated by a tinge of nervousness, danced through Rey from the Force. He had been avoiding her for several days, although she had assumed he had been busy with Arian and the brand-new Padawans. Seeing the look on his face as he stopped and gazed her at her, she doubted her assumption had been correct. "Close your eyes."

Rey sighed and complied, allowing Kylo to lead her around the thick tree they stood near. Her foot bumped a branch, and Kylo's strong hands grabbed her to keep her from falling. "All right, you can open them."

Her eyelids flickered open, and Rey did not hide the soft gasp that escaped her lips. They stood at the shore of a small lake. The last light of the setting sun glimmered on the surface through the tree, casting a fading orange light on Kylo's face. Artificial lights twinkled through the leaves on the surrounding trees, and Rey suddenly caught the faint sounds of music coming from with the trees.

Kylo's nervousness spiked through her. "Rey? Do you like it?"

She grinned and threw her arms around his middle. He grunted softly in surprise and wrapped his own arms around her shoulders, pulling her tight against his body. "Of course I do."

She unwrapped one of her arms and brought her hand up to the back of Kylo's neck, intertwining her fingers in his black hair. She lifted herself on her toes and pulled his neck down so that their lips met in brief kiss. "When did you set all this up?"

The tips of Kylo's ears flushed red under his hair as he straightened. "I, uh, had the new Padawans practice the Force to put the lights in the trees yesterday."

Rey let out a loud laugh and grabbed her lightsaber staff from her back. She leaned it against a tree and gazed up at the lights that began to shine more clearly as the sun dipped below the horizon. "I had no idea there was even a piece of the wild left on Coruscant."

"It's the only part left." Kylo turned and disappeared behind a tree for a moment, returning with a basket in his hand and a few blankets over his arm. "Now, I do believe I promised you dinner."

Rey grinned and nodded, taking one of the blankets from Kylo's arm. She spread it over the ground and sat down with Kylo as he opened the basket and pulled a bottle of Corellian wine and her favorite dish, including the dessert Uj'alayi. He poured the wine into two small glasses and handed her one. "May I ask what prompted such spoiling?"

Kylo's lips spread into a soft smile. "It's our fifth anniversary."

Rey blinked in surprise. She never paid much attention to special occasions such as holidays or anniversaries; on Jakku, those days were just another day to sell parts for portions. If she took the day off, she would have starved. Kylo, however, took stock in almost every holiday he had celebrated growing up, including, it seemed, anniversaries. A pang of guilt ran through her at having forgotten something important to him. Rey smiled and took his gloved hand. "I love it. I love you."

Kylo wrapped his fingers around her hand and pressed a kiss to the top of her hand before he let go and began to eat. The dish was one Kylo had introduced to her shortly after the First Order had officially fallen. It was called Chyntuck in the Wookie language, and Rey loved the spice that was so different from the bland portions she had eaten for fifteen years on Jakku. A touch of pink brushed Kylo's pale face from the excess spice. Her mouth burned with the seasoning, and they both drank their fill of the wine to stave off the heat.

"Will Arian be all right with you gone this evening?" Rey took a huge bite of the sweet Uj'alayi dessert as she watched the man next to her. She could never get enough of sweet food, something she and Kylo both shared.

He gave a soft laugh, his face brightening at the mention of the child. "He's letting Jessika hold him more often now. Plus, he's not getting as upset now that he's getting used to Coruscant."

Rey raised an eyebrow, grinning as she swallowed the bite. "Oh? You're not his favorite anymore?"

Kylo rolled his eyes, and the lights from the trees glinted in the dark orbs. "I still see him every day, or he cries until I do."

She nodded and cast her gaze around the lake. Without the lights from the city, she could actually see the stars. She recalled staring at them every night on Jakku while she waited for her family. The faint music she had heard reached her ears again, and she looked back to Kylo as she noticed him pulling off his gloves as he stood. He held out his bare hand to her. "Why don't we dance?"

She put her hand in his and let him pull her up as she grinned. "You can dance?"

He led her carefully toward the water gently lapping at the ground. "My… mother taught me."

Rey nodded and remained silent, not wanting to push him further. The subject of Leia Organa was a touchy one for Kylo. She had died at the hands of General Hux before he could make amends with her.

She sensed the Force around her strengthen, and Rey raised an eyebrow as Kylo took several steps on the surface of the water. Ripples formed around his boot, but his foot did not sink below the water line. He gave a gentle tug on her hand, and she tentatively stepped onto the water with him. The water shifted underneath her in the strangest sensation she had ever felt as the water shifted underneath her shoe, but Kylo's command over the Force kept her from falling through on an invisible surface.

A laugh escaped her lips as Kylo turned to face her, his left hand at her hip. He clasped his free hand in hers and began leading her in a slow dance. Rey quickly caught onto the three-step beat, and she could not keep the grin off her face as they danced over the water. "I'm not sure Luke would approve of this use of the Force."

The side of Kylo's mouth quirked into a smirk. "What Luke doesn't know won't get his robes in a bunch."

Rey snorted, and her laughter caused her to miss a step and stumble forward. Kylo caught her by the shoulders and then interlaced his fingers in hers as he pulled her close. They swayed gently to the slow beat of the music in the middle of the lake, and Kylo pressed his forehead against hers. Rey's fingers brushed against the scars that marred his hands.

"They're from my childhood," Kylo's deep voice dropped into a whisper.

Rey felt her breath hitch as her eyes met his. She had speculated to no end about what had caused the scars he usually covered with gloves, but she was sure they were not from lightsaber accents, as he had once told a nosy Senator, or else he would have told her long before.

His gaze moved to the water beneath them and watched the reflection of the twinkling lights for a moment. "The Supre – Snoke. He was in my head a lot when I was young, whispering things. Doubts. Lies. Confirming my deepest fears. For as long as I could remember, he was there."

Rey's eyes remained glued to Kylo's face as he spoke. She knew he had been influenced by Snoke, but he had never told her the extent. Even now, she knew he held back much of what he had experienced as a child.

His dark eyes moved to his left hand, the one that bore more scars. "I… I didn't know what was real… He convinced me that he was the only one who understood me." Kylo took a deep breath that shuddered slightly. Rey ran her thumb reassuringly over his hand, conveying with her action and the Force that she would understand, that he could tell her anything. "He became my only friend. I knew to keep his approval, I needed to do anything to earn his approval, to avoid his… disappointment."

His hand tightened around hers for a moment, and Rey pressed a soft kiss to the side of his face. His eyes finally met hers, and she read his childhood misery mixed with his love for her in his expression. "So I didn't question him whenever he told me to draw my own blood."

The horror clenched in her chest as she realized what he implied, and she struggled to keep it from resonating through the Force. "Oh, Kylo…"

He brushed his palm against the side of her face and pressed his lips to her forehead for a long moment. "It wasn't until you gave me a chance that I realized I didn't have to follow him."

Rey's heart melted for the man in front of her, and she wrapped an arm around his waist, her fingertips brushing across his lightsaber hilt as she did so. "I didn't mean to kill the mood," he whispered with a ragged edge to his tone. "But you needed to know."

She pressed a kiss to his lips and murmured against them, "Thank you for telling me."

Kylo's hand left hers as he reached into a pocket. Rey frowned as she watched him clutch a small black box. "Another surprise?" A smile pulled at his lips as he opened the box. A small silver band rested inside, and Rey furrowed her brow in confusion. "Kylo?"

Kylo dropped to one knee on the surface of the water. The lights sparkled around them and on the water, but Rey's eyes remained glued on his face as her heart skipped a beat. "Will you marry me?"


	6. Illness

Rey stepped out of the refresher, wringing the dripping ends of her hair with a towel. The refresher cast the only light throughout the dark room, and she blinked to adjust to the darkness of the bedroom before she made her way around the bed.

She picked up the engagement ring from the nightstand and slipped it onto her left ring finger as she took in the long form of her fiancé. Kylo's arms were wrapped around a pillow, and his legs sprawled under the covers. His face was buried in the pillow, and his black hair rested against his broad shoulders that rose and fell evenly as he slept.

Rey had never broken her scavenger habit of waking early, although she had progressively begun to sleep later since Kylo basically moved into her living quarters. He rarely woke before her unless he was having trouble sleeping. The sound of Rey's shower usually prompted him to get up, and she found it unusual for him to still be asleep when he had a training session with the Padawans.

She reached over and shook his shoulder, feeling his familiar furnace-like heat against his bare skin. His head snapped up as he sucked in a sharp breath, and she sensed his alarm through the Force before he relaxed. His eyes had a tinge of red as he focused on her, and Rey sighed softly. He had not slept well.

She pressed a button on the wall, and the soft lights of the bedroom flicked on as Kylo sat up slowly. She turned back to him with a soft smile that turned into a frown as she took in his face. He looked paler than usual, and sweat beaded at his forehead. "Kylo? Are you all right?"

He looked up at her and nodded, raking his hand through his hair. Her eyes followed the glint of silver that wrapped around his ring finger with a swell of happiness in her chest. "I'm fine, Rey. Just tired."

Kylo slipped off the bed and padded to the refresher. He bent his neck to avoid hitting the doorframe and turned on the sink to splash water on his face.

Rey gathered up her damp hair and tied it back into her customary buns with practiced ease as she watched him lean against the sink for a moment. She sighed and slipped into a light gray shirt before she pulled on the rest of her white Jedi attire. Her meeting with the Senators of the Outer Rim required her to fully play the part of a peacekeeping Jedi.

She sat on the edge of the bed to lace up her boots and watched Kylo's movements carefully as he changed into a black version of her own outfit. He paused and briefly closed his eyes before he wrapped his belt around his waist, and Rey assumed he had suffered from nightmares again. "What are you planning for the Padawans today?"

"They're going to try to work as a team to fight me." He pulled on his tall boots and began slipping his gloves over his pale hands.

Rey raised an eyebrow as she placed her saberstaff on her back. "Are they not working as a team already? They were pretty close as younglings."

Kylo picked up his own lightsaber hilt, attaching it to his belt. "The new three work together well mostly thanks to Jessika, but the older two have developed attitudes since they all started training together."

She let out a soft laugh and wrapped her arms around Kylo's waist. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pressed his lips to her forehead gently. He usually gave her a long kiss before they left, but Rey smiled at the tender gesture. She took his gloved hands and reached up to kiss him, but Kylo turned his head so that her lips pressed against his jawline.

Rey frowned and swatted Kylo's shoulder. "What, you don't want to kiss me anymore?"

Kylo hesitated for a split second. "I'm, ah, getting a cold sore."

Rey placed her hands on her hips, suddenly realizing his emotions did not broadcast through the Force as she was accustomed. "Since when do you get sick?"

He raised his hands in fake surrender, and Rey was suddenly reminded of the battle when he had taken up her offer to talk. "I'm not sick; it's just a cold sore."

She rolled her eyes and moved toward the door, hearing his heavy footsteps follow her. "Wimp."

* * *

Rey crossed her right leg over her left knee and folded her hands in her lap with a small sigh. Her eyes flicked to the chronometer on the wall, and she forced herself to continue paying attention to the conversation.

" – reporting no First Order movements," the Abednedo whose name Rey thought was Atsay read from a datapad.

Rey's gaze fell to the ring on her finger, and she admired how the silver caught the light in the room. The band resembled vines that curled gently around a small green stone. The simple yet elegant design spoke to how well Kylo knew her, for she loved the deep green and did not like overly pretentious jewelry that some Senators wore.

"Jakku is seeing an increased rate of crime since the Reformed Republic set up the base."

Her interest piqued at the mention of her home planet, and she started to ask what sort of crimes were being committed when the door slid slowly to the side.

Jessika took a tentative step inside, her eyes wide as she took in the Senators around the table. "I… I'm sorry for interrupting." Her bright blue gaze found Rey across the room. "It's Master Ren. He… needs you."

She gave her a pointed look, and Rey sensed worry and fear from the usually confident Padawan. She stood and grabbed her staff before walking quickly to the door. "Excuse me, Senators."

The door slid shut behind her and muted the grumblings that came from a few of the Senators about Kylo. Jessika immediately set off at a brisk pace down the hall, and she rubbed her hands worriedly together. Rey frowned and followed the Padawan. "What does he need me for?"

Jessika looked up at her, and uncertainty flowed from the Force before she blurted out, "Master Ren collapsed during our training session."

A cold chill ran down Rey's spine, and she sped up with Jessika as the Padawan led the way toward the medical bay. "What happened?"

Jessika shook her head, and her hand fingered the crossguarded lightsaber at her hip nervously. "I'm not really sure. We were working on a team-building exercise, and he looked really white when he was fighting Sonzy. Then he just fell. We… We thought he was testing us until he stopped responding."

Rey broke into a run, and she barely registered Jessika run beside her as she threw open the doors to the medical bay with the Force. Kylo's familiar form lay on one of the nearest beds. A droid hovered over him, and a medical staff member tapped commands onto a datapad. Kylo's gloves lay on a small table next to the bed, and his right sleeve was rolled up, revealing a needle pressed into his inner elbow.

Rey made an unrecognizable noise as she rushed to Kylo's side. The staff member frowned down at her and then looked at her datapad. "He has a high fever."

She pressed her hand to Kylo's sweaty forehead and flinched as the heat leeched onto her skin. His shoulder had been hot in the morning, but she had written it off as his usual warmth.

"Scan complete." The droid hovered around the bed to the staff member. "Data indicates Plyridian fever."

"That can't be right." The woman shook her head and stared at the datapad with narrowed eyes. "There hasn't been a reported case on Coruscant for years. Scan again."

The droid hovered over Kylo once again, and Rey pulled her arm back so as to not interfere with the scan. The staff member shook her head as she read the data on the screen. "Start him on a general course of medication along with a cooling tab."

Another droid, a 2-1B that frequently helped sick younglings, shuffled over and pressed a small patch to Kylo's neck. It then attached a bag of clear liquid to the needle in the Jedi's arm. The 2-1B unit turned to Rey, its bedside manners much more gentle than the first droid or the staff member's. "Plyridian fever can be fatal if not treated quickly." It held up a small syringe. "Master Ren seems to have been ill for a couple days since he collapsed from the fever. We will need to inoculate you as a precaution."

Rey nodded and allowed the droid to press the syringe gently into her shoulder. She held Kylo's motionless hand in both of hers, running her thumbs over his uneven skin. She suddenly realized Jessika still stood uncertainly nearby. "I'm glad you and the other Padawans were around to help him. Why don't you all take the rest of the day off? Master Skywalker and I will think of something for training tomorrow."

"Master Ren will be all right, though?" The Padawan's worry for Kylo mirrored her own, and Rey smiled softly, once again happy that the young Jedi cared for her future husband.

The droid turned to Jessika, its metallic tone gentle. "We have some of the best medicine in the galaxy. He's in excellent physical condition, and we're confident he'll recover."

Relief flooded through the Force from both Rey and Jessika. "Will he be able to return to his rooms soon?" Kylo was a private person, and he likely would not appreciate being in the medical bay where any Senator could poke their nose in his business.

"Once the fever is down, we can give him some oral medications, and he can recover in his own rooms. As his fiancé, you're welcome to stay here until then."

Rey thanked the droid and turned to Jessika once again. "Could you check on Arian? I know Ky – Master Ren was with him yesterday. I don't want him to get sick, too."

Jessika dashed off with a nod, and Rey sensed her satisfaction at being able to do something useful. The droid pulled the sterile white curtains closed around the bed, and Rey lay her head down on her arm. Her thumb ran over the plain silver ring on Kylo's finger. The last time the gray Jedi had been in the medical bay for any length of time was after he had thrown himself on top of General Hux in rage. He still carried the scar on his hip from the general's blaster pistol.

She dozed hunched over the bed for a few hours until she felt Kylo's hand twitch in her own. She sat up and rubbed her stiff neck as his dark eyes flickered open. His voice was groggy and partially slurred as he murmured, "Rey? Wha'happened?"

Rey felt a flash of anger chase away her happiness at seeing him awake, and she smacked her fist against his side a little harder than intended. "Why the kriffing hell did you hide being sick from me?"

Kylo let out a soft hiss, and his eyes found the needle in his arm. "It wasn't that bad."

She snorted and shook her head. "You knew it was getting bad. That's why you gave me that bantha fodder cold sore story." Her accusing tone softened as she watched his tired expression. "You didn't want to give it to me."

Kylo shifted his head, his black hair spreading across the propped-up pillow with the movement. "I was feeling better yesterday until I barely got any sleep last night."

His tone and gaze began to sharpen as he spoke, and Rey pressed her hand to his forehead again, relieved to feel his temperature returning to normal. "You have Plyridian fever. They say that it can be fatal. Next time you feel sick, you'll tell me immediately. I'm not losing you because of your stubbornness. Understand, Kylo Ren?"

Kylo looked slightly bewildered at her firm tone, and he nodded once without a word. His eyes drifted closed for a moment, and he called out softly. "You can come in, Jessika."

The Padawan reappeared with Arian in her arms. The child waved a hand out toward Kylo, but Jessika held him carefully in her arms. The other two Padawans of the same age slipped around the curtain behind her. "The droids say Plyridian can only be passed by blood."

Sonzy, the Togruta boy, held up a datapad with the picture of a familiar face on it. Rey recognized him as one of the most vocal politicians against Kylo. "Master Skywalker found a small supply of the virus hidden in a ring on Senator Nevran's person."

Kylo's hand tightened around Rey's. He had met with Senators from D'Qar only a few days before, and Rey remembered him grumbling about not being able to wear his gloves.

The three Padawans took seats around the bed comfortably, and Arian grinned at the sick Jedi from where he squirmed in Jessika's arms. The female Padawan grinned down at him as Sonzy continued, "He's undergoing an investigation for an attempt on a Jedi's life."

Rey felt her own ire toward the Senators who could not seem to leave Kylo alone. The loyalty and protectiveness toward Kylo resonated through the Force from the three Padawans, but to her surprise, she did not sense her anger mirrored in Kylo. Instead, he radiated a strange feeling of contentment.

It took Rey a moment to understand that despite the feeble attempt to kill him, Kylo was happy to have found friendship and support among his fellow Force-users. The contentment echoed throughout the small space from each person as the Padawans began excitedly recounting their morning training exercise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt given by Tripping55! Thanks for reading!


	7. Fury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A combination of prompts all given by Tripping55! They made the most sense to put them together in this way. This is the first chapter written from Kylo's perspective, as a heads up. Let me know what you think!

Kylo stared at his reflection in the shiny metal door and raked his gloved hand through his hair. Nerves clenched in his stomach, and he could acutely sense the fear of the man behind the door.

His fingers curled into fists, and the engagement ring dug into his skin reassuringly. Rey had left the previous day for Jakku to help with problems of crime, and he hated how _empty_ the world felt without her around. She had no idea how much her presence through their Force bond kept him calm and balanced. He pulled in a shaking breath through his nose and exhaled slowly through his mouth.

Finally, Kylo raised his hand and pushed the door open with the Force. Luke already stood in the room, his hands folded in front of him. The older Jedi nodded to his nephew. Three Senators, each representing the different planet rims, stood along the far wall. Kylo felt a twinge of relief that two the three were mostly friendly toward him. Friendly for a Senator meant they had never outright accused him of malicious intent. The third Senator's eyes followed the lightsaber at his hip as he strode into the room and stood in front of the man in a comfortable gray chair.

The Senator from the Mid Rim, a Twi'lek whose name Kylo could never remember, stepped forward and addressed Senator Nevran. "The Senate has revoked your place as a representative of D'Qar due to your willful knowledge of carrying an illegal, armed bioweapon. We have turned your punishment for your malicious actions against a Jedi to the Order."

Nevran's mouth tightened as his brown eyes glared up at Kylo. He suddenly wished for his old mask to hide his face; Rey told him on numerous occasions that his face, especially his eyes, were expressive. He tried to keep his face as impassive as possible as Luke locked eyes with the former Senator. "Since you have not revealed your co-conspirators, Master Ren will perform a mind probe to determine others involved in this plot against the Jedi. I will verify the truth of his findings."

"And what about his crimes against the galaxy? More innocent people have died by his lightsaber than anyone knows," Nevran snapped at Luke. He did not wear any restraints, and his finger pointed accusingly at Kylo. "Once a Dark Sider, always a Dark Sider."

Luke raised his hand patiently, and Kylo bit back an angry retort as the other Jedi murmured calmly, "You should not speak of matters that you know nothing about. You do not know the ways of the Jedi or the Force. Master Ren has proven himself worthy of trust."

The Jedi nodded to Kylo, and he raised his gloved hand toward Nevran's head. "I take no pleasure in this." Well, maybe he did in a traitorous part of his mind, but he would not inflict purposeful pain. Rey would never forgive him, no matter how much he wanted revenge for that awful illness. He still felt exhausted even a week after being discharged from the medical bay. "The less you resist me, the less this will hurt."

"Always a liar, Solo," Nevran sneered. "You did this to my son years ago. He killed himself to escape the nightmares of a monster in a mask."

Kylo hesitated, and his hand lowered slightly as he exchanged a look with Luke. He sensed the Jedi's brief horror before the emotions from his uncle shut down completely. His eyes shut for a moment, and he imagined Rey's face. Her forgiveness of the terrible deeds he had done under Snoke's orders. Her wide, beautiful smile that revealed all of her teeth as she accepted his proposal to marry him.

Kylo drew upon the strength of the Force around him and probed his consciousness forward into the treacherous man's mind. He met intense resistance and drew back to steel himself. Dear stars, he needed Rey's light. A mind probe was not necessarily a Dark Side technique, but he only had ever learned it with the rage and raw emotions that accompanied the practice of the Dark. Without Rey around, he felt the darkness try to consume him once again. Luke could not probe to the extent they needed; he needed to do the probe as smoothly as possible to prove Kylo Ren truly meant no ill-will.

He envisioned Rey's face once again and pressed forward as gently as possible, his eyes sliding shut as he slipped into Nevran's mind. Fury bombarded his consciousness from the Senator, but he was no stranger to rage. He embraced it like an old friend to fuel his power and directed the thoughts toward the information he needed. Memories of secret meetings with three cloaked figures, a golden ring with a hidden needle slipped onto a small hand, and plans whispered in fragments in case someone pressed for information flitted in his mind. Kylo felt disappointment lace through him, and he pulled his consciousness away from the bitter man. A flash of a young man danced through his mind just before he came fully back into himself.

"There are at least three others. He does not know who they are nor does he know the end goal." He met Luke's gaze as his hands curled into fists. "His job was to get rid of me."

Luke breathed out a slow sigh and glanced at the three Senators. "He speaks the truth."

The familiar anger boiled in his chest, and Kylo swept from the room without hearing Luke's next words. He could feel his body trembling, and he tried to push the rage down. He started to return to his quarters – well, really Rey's – but the thought of being there without her there only upset him further.

Kylo stopped in a short side-hallway and slammed his fist against the wall, sucking in deep breaths as he leaned his forehead against the cool surface. Something that sounded like a window shattered nearby, and he gritted his teeth as he felt his Force powers swirling wildly inside him.

No. He had not lost control in nearly a year. He tried thinking of his love again. The smell of her hair. The enthusiasm and joy she always radiated. The trust she put in him. The sight of Rey carrying Arian as the child giggled in her arms. An enraged beast could not love them, and he had left that demon behind on the floor of Snoke's chamber.

His fist unclenched, and he pressed his gloved palm to the wall. A part of him screamed to just live the rest of his long life out in a hidden corner of the galaxy, but he could not leave Rey or the young Force-sensitives who relied on the formal, kind teaching he had never received.

Kylo knew his past actions were unforgivable, but he had helped bring down the First Order's reign of terror over the galaxy. He had faced his own punishment for his crimes. And he had fallen in love with the scavenger-turned-Jedi.

But some still wanted to see him dead.

The anger rose up stronger than before, and Kylo stalked into the closest deserted room as the fury finally boiled over. He need to _move,_ to do something, and Rey, the only one willing to listen, was not around. The lightsaber was in his hand before he could stop himself, and the purple blade cut through an inactive training droid. Objects broke in his blind fury as he let out a howl of rage.

The saber cut easily through everything it touched, and Kylo suddenly dropped to his knees as he took in the damage around him. The ire still coursed through his veins, and his trembling hand picked up a piece of what probably used to be a chair. He shut his eyes tightly, taking in sharp, shallow breaths as he struggled to calm himself.

"Kylo?"

His head shot up in disbelief, and Rey's arms wrapped around his broad shoulders before he could respond. A corner of his mind whispered that she did not deserve such a weak monster. He held onto her as if she might run away.

Rey's scent filled his nose, and he felt her mere presence begin to drive away the anger. His thoughts cleared, and he whispered softly against her, "I didn't know you were back."

He hated how ragged his voice sounded, and Rey loosened her hold around him so that she could press her lips against his briefly. "I only just got in."

Kylo noticed her saberstaff and small brown bag tossed aside among the wreckage he had wrought upon the unsuspecting room. He raked a hand nervously through his hair as he took in what his anger had caused. "I… I didn't mean… I'm so sorry…"

"I know." She kissed him slowly for several wonderful moments. She pulled away from the kiss and leaned her forehead to his as her fingers ran gently through his hair. The tension in Kylo's shoulders slowly released as the attention fizzled out the remains of his anger. Rey pulled him close again, and he rested his head against her shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

She continued to stroke a hand through his hair, and her fingers messaged soothingly against his scalp. Kylo felt his exhaustion finally catch up with him, and he pressed his lips to her neck. "I love you, Rey."


	8. Game

Rey set the small beacon between the tree branches and slowly lowered herself back down, her strong hands gripping the wood to keep her steady. Her boot touched the ground, and she nodded to Sonzy. The Padawan held out the second practice blaster, and Rey zipped up her jacket before accepting it. Her saberstaff bounced reassuringly against her back, but she only carried it in case they encountered something truly dangerous. The purpose of the exercise was to ensure they could function as team without the reliance on their lightsabers.

Her team gathered in a circle, and Rey let the older Padawan, a female Mirialan named Teela, take charge. The game was not for her to practice her own leadership skills, after all. "Master Ren, Jessika, and Kaydel have probably placed their beacon in that other cluster of trees uphill, away from the valley." Teela glanced at Rey. "Can you sense where Master Ren is through your Force bond?"

Rey chuckled and shook her head. "We've closed our bond to make this more fair, but I appreciate that you'll try to use every advantage." They could not in actuality completely shut down their connection without separating great distances, but they had pulled back from their bond as much as possible. She could vaguely sense Kylo's excitement for the game in the back of her mind. The gray Jedi originally had not planned to be part of a team, but Luke requested to take the oldest of the five Padawans to a Senate meeting for teaching purposes. The game would not work as well with teams of two, so Rey and Kylo both decided to join instead of canceling an event the Padawans were looking forward to.

"Two of us will split up and search for their beacon. The other will go a short way away and defend the wrong tree to throw them off from where we've actually hidden ours."

Rey felt a smirk pull at her mouth as she nodded. Kylo would approve of the deception and strategy. "Don't forget that the Force can be your greatest ally, but your opponents can also use it."

The Kiros sun dipped below the horizon, and they spread apart to their respective tasks as their game officially began.

Rey slunk through the trees, keeping her footsteps light as she treaded over fallen branches and leaves to the edge of the small valley. Luscious green grass swayed gently in the evening breeze. She paused by the tree line and scanned the small valley for movements.

She checked the tiny light on the shoulder of her jacket. The practice blasters would only shoot beams of light, but if the jacket registered the light hit any part of Rey, it would immobilize her for a minute. The small red light blinked to indicate it was still functioning, and Rey felt Teela move with the Force a moment before she saw the Padawan dart out from the trees. She kept her body low to the ground to minimize her surface area, and she traveled about a third of the way across the valley before Rey spotted a green beam of light from a small cluster of trees. Teela went motionless mid-step as it her jacket.

Rey frowned and squinted through the darkness toward where the light had come. As far as she knew, none of the members from either team were particularly well-versed in blaster usage, but whoever had shot had hit the fairly small mark of Teela in one attempt.

The dark form of the Padawan took two steps forward as she was able to move, and a beam of light stopped her in her tracks again. Rey raised her own blaster and aimed it toward where she had seen the light originate. She pulled the trigger and watched the red beam cross the valley and harmlessly hit a tree. She took a deep breath and shifted her blaster to the left.

Teela moved, and once Rey saw the green light leave the trees, she took a shot at its origin. The light lit up the cluster of trees as it passed by Kylo's familiar tall form standing against wide trunk. He answered Rey's attack by immobilizing her with a single shot.

Rey's limbs refused to move under the influence of jacket, and she took the opportunity to feel out with the Force for where the other Padawans were. Sonzy was several paces back, waiting in a tree to defend the fake location of their beacon. She sensed Kaydel and Jessika nearby and watched as their small forms sprinted across the valley.

The jacket released her, and she aimed her blaster at the two Padawans, eager to stop them. Her first shot missed, and her finger froze on the tigger as a green beam from the gray Jedi hit her again. Her eyes found Teela, who had not made much progress with Kylo's consistent hits. Kaydel and Jessika split off from each other and ran into the tree line from different directions.

Rey's competitive nature took over as she become mobile once again, and she became consumed with thoughts of beating her fiancé. She aimed a shot at the trees again and immediately jumped to the side to avoid an answering shot. She noticed Teela had remained in the same position for longer than the usual minute, and she immediately began firing rapid shots toward Kylo's general position as she ran along the line of trees. Teela jumped to her feet with the distraction and sprinted across the valley. A green beam shot just past the Padawan's leg, and Rey felt Kylo's spark of annoyance through their bond.

She smirked and continued firing toward Kylo's position. The gray Jedi's returning shots started to shift position and eventually ceased long enough for Teela to disappear into the cluster of trees where they assumed their target beacon was hidden.

Rey took a deep breath and adjusted her grip on the blaster before running into the open valley, firing toward the opposite trees in hopes that Kylo's attention would be diverted long enough for her teammate to find the beacon. After a moment, she saw his dark-clad form emerge from the trees and begin jogging across the landscape. She grinned and aimed carefully toward him, determined not to miss.

Kylo ducked to avoid her shot, but Rey had aimed too low for his broad form to dodge. He froze with his blaster held loosely in his hand. Rey moved out of the trees to meet him in the grass and grinned triumphantly at his immobile form. She expected to feel irritation from him as his jacket released him, but he let out a loud laugh.

Rey stared at him in shock but could not help the grin that formed as she watched his usually somber face light up with the laugh. She took a step closer to him, and Kylo dropped his blaster on the ground as he covered his mouth with his gloved hand. "I didn't expect that to hit me. You're such a terrible shot!"

Rey felt a twinge of annoyance that did not last long as she watched him struggle to stifle his laugh. "And just why haven't I ever known you can shoot?"

Kylo shrugged and scooped up his blaster. The moonlight shone on his face enough for Rey to see the corners of his mouth twitch in amusement. "I've been shooting since before I knew what a lightsaber was." At Rey's confused expression, he added, "Han Solo."

"Ah. You neglected to mention that before we started a game using blasters."

Kylo held up his hands in mock surrender. "It wasn't my idea to be the sniper. Jessika made a point to know the skills of her team. I'm still not quite sure how she knew I can shoot, though." His eyes flicked over Rey's shoulder. "Speaking of Jessika."

Rey turned to see the young Padawan clutching the small, red beacon in her hand, grinning from ear to ear as she ran to Kylo's side. "We won!"

Kaydel and Sonzy emerged from the trees. The Togruta boy looked annoyed at having lost. "How'd you find it so quickly? We hid it in a tree!"

"I used the Force, like Master Ren taught us." Jessika handed the beacon to Sonzy and unzipped her jacket, beaming up at the Jedi.

Kylo's expression turned proud as he put a hand on her shoulder. Rey grinned as she noted how much he cared for the Padawans, and their love for him in return. Whoever threatened the Jedi Order that Luke was investigating, she knew their ties would be strong enough to withstand what could be thrown at them.

Teela approached holding the green beacon and threw her hands into the air in exasperation as she saw she was too late. Rey knew that the older Padawan had expected to win due to her experience over the others, but she could sense Teela's growing respect for the three younger Padawans.

Rey pulled down the zipper of her own jacket and tugged at it as it got stuck half-way down. Kylo moved toward to help her with a grin. "Loser buys the winners bantha ice cream."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt by, uh, me. Cause I couldn't resist having them play a version of capture the flag.


	9. Fire

"I think I was probably three or four there."

Rey grinned as she gazed upon the picture of a small, black haired boy smiling at the camera from the arms of Chewbacca. His ears stuck out from under the thick locks, and a light red color touched his cheeks. He held a sweet in his chubby little hands.

She tapped the datapad's screen and laughed softly as file showed a short video of a small Ben Solo running on short legs with a toy blaster in his hand. He stopped and aimed it at the back of what Rey assumed was a young Luke Skywalker's back. A small dot of light appeared directly on the middle of the Jedi's neck, and Luke let out a fake howl of pain, dropping to his knees and exclaiming how he had been vanquished by the formidable Solo. The sound of a woman's laugh sounded from behind the camera, and the view shook a little, blurring the picture of Luke turning to face the small boy. "Want to see an elegant weapon?"

The dark mop of hair bobbed as Ben nodded, and Luke pulled out his familiar lightsaber hilt. The blade activated in his hand, and the green color reflected in the boy's wide, brown eyes. "Luke, don't – " The view shook again as Leia spoke from behind the camera, and the video cut off.

Kylo's head on Rey's shoulder shifted, and she glanced down at him as his legs curled up against her own under the bed covers. She could sense his unease at hearing his mother's voice, and she ran a hand through his dark hair gently. They had fought earlier about a wedding detail. Kylo's way of apologizing was to let her look at the files Luke kept of his childhood, which Rey had been begging to see for weeks, but now she felt a pang of guilt for making him watch a video with his mother.

His hand slid up and changed the screen on the datapad, revealing a picture of Luke and Han standing with their arms around each other's shoulders. Luke's blonde hair brushed just over his eyes, and he wore plain black clothes. Rey stared at Han's face. The lips that held a cocky smirk were the same ones she kissed almost every day. The nose was identical to the one that pressed lightly against her shoulder.

"That was right after I was born." Kylo's voice was rough in from sleepiness.

Rey turned off the datapad and set it on the nightstand. Kylo slid down against the pillows, his eyes half closed. His hair drifted over his face, and Rey leaned over to kiss his ear. He gave a soft grumble as Rey lay next to him. "BB-8 is going to bear the rings."

Kylo gave a soft, breathy laugh, his eyes closing completely. "Yeah, yeah… I've learned my lesson."

His breaths soon slowed as he drifted asleep, and Rey closed her eyes to try to rest when the alarm jerked them rudely awake.

Kylo blinked blearily at the door as a flashing light shone underneath it. Rey grabbed her datapad and froze for a moment as it displayed a red screen. "Fire."

Kylo jumped to his feet and pulled on his boots over his loose black pants. He held out his hand, and his lightsaber hilt jumped into his hand as he walked to the door. Rey slid her own feet into her shoes and snatched her saberstaff before following him into her little sitting room and out into the hallway.

Dark smoke drifted down the corridor, and they both started moving toward it when the floor shook under the impact of a nearby explosion. Rey's chest tightened. "Arian. The Padawans."

Kylo's panicked gaze settled on hers for an instant before they took off at a run toward the Padawans' quarters. The smoke thickened around them, and Rey made out vague figures already in the hall. Teela appeared with Sonzy's arm draped around her shoulders. Ash marred the female Padawan's face, covering the distinctive black markings that identified her as Mirialan. Sonzy coughed heavily as Teela gasped out, "Jessika went for Arian."

Rey covered her mouth with the thin cloth of her shirt. "Where are the others?"

Teela shook her head, helping the Togruta boy away from the thick of the smoke. "I'm not sure. I'll come back to help once I get Sonzy out."

Rey shook her head and headed further into the smoke. "We'll find them. You stay outside and start accounting for everyone as they get out."

The Mirialan gave a curt nod and hurried around a corner with her fellow Padawan. Another explosion went off nearby, and Rey had to use the Force to keep her from falling. Kylo touched her shoulder, shouting through the thin material of his own shirt over his mouth. "Some Senators were staying here tonight. I'll go check on them. You get the Padawans out."

He turned around the corner opposite the one Teela had taken before Rey could say anything. She moved further into the smoke and felt the intense heat of the fire before she saw it burning in front of the quarters the students shared. Her lungs screamed for clean, smokeless air. She shut her eyes for a moment and reached out with the Force to sense the presence of the other Padawans.

She sensed Kaydel a moment before she saw the Padawan's ash-covered blonde hair appear around a doorway. The flames licked the doorframe, and Kaydel jumped back inside the room. Rey felt the other Padawan – a male Zabrak named Eeth – unconscious inside. At almost sixteen years old, Eeth was far too bulky for the slight Kaydel to move on her own.

Rey activated her lightsaber, and its short, twin blue blades hummed in her hands before she pressed one side against the wall. It sparked and crackled as she cut a semicircle into the metal. Coughing against the smoke, she pushed forward with the Force and let the wall fall into the room.

She stepped over the metal and rushed inside. Kaydel blinked up at her through the smoke from where she knelt next to Eeth. Rey knelt down next to the Padawan and gripped his thick arm, pulling it over her shoulder. Her muscles – toned from years of scavenging and then training – strained to support the Padawan. Kaydel helped hold him up as she dragged the Zabrak out of the room through her created entryway.

They entered the hall and pulled Eeth away from the flames. Rey glanced behind her as she sensed Jessika. The raging fire shrank to half its size, and the Padawan's form came into view as she used the Force to help her jump over the flames. She clutched Arian in her arms, and her right pants leg was charred away, revealing an angry burn on her calf and knee.

Rey flinched at the sight but beckoned with her lightsaber staff as they continued down the hall. The smoke thinned as they turned a corner and rushed outside through a broken window. Her body shuddered as she coughed heavily, her eyes streaming tears as she sucked in clean air.

Teela ran forward and helped move Eeth away from the burning building. Jessika immediately took Arian to the only medical droid outside. Rey glanced around in relief to find all the Padawans outside. The younglings sat on the ground with their caregivers, and Luke was making sure they were each all right.

She turned back to the building, her eyes wide as she watched flames eat away at the Jedi school. Coruscant emergency teams arrived in full force, and medical personnel began checking everyone who stood outside while fire fighters began to extinguish the flames. The hairs on the back of her neck rose despite the heat as a portion of the building collapsed.

Two of the three Senators she knew to be staying at the Jedi school clambered out of the broken window, coughing heavily.

"Where's Master Ren?" Jessika's hoarse voice asked from where she stood with Arian and the medical droid.

Rey immediately reached out to her bond with Kylo as she swallowed back the rise of panic. She would have felt if something drastic had happened to him. One of the medical droids reached her and hovered a small scanner over her. She barely noticed it as she tried to sense her fiancé's location.

"Extensive smoke inhalation." The droid pressed something over Rey's mouth and nose, and she breathed in fresh air through the device. Her stomach flipped, and she suddenly became aware of nausea as she swayed.

They stood on the long sidewalk leading up to the school, and the droid helped her sit on a nearby bench. She shook her head, trying to pull the little mask off her face. "Kylo's still in there!"

One of the Senators glanced at her as another droid scanned him. "Something fell on us. He got it off us, but Atsay," he broke off as a coughing fit racked his body, "Atsay got stuck and lost consciousness."

The droid forced her to take several breaths through the oxygen mask, and Rey felt some of her focus return to her. Pain lanced through her bond with Kylo. Her heartrate accelerated in terror for her partner, and she tried to stand again. He was injured, and she needed to help.

A warm hand pressed against her shoulder, keeping her from standing. "He can handle himself." Luke's calming voice sounded next to her. The Jedi Master pressed the mask back over her mouth. "This was not a random fire."

She started to ask what Luke meant when he nodded to the building. "Look."

Rey's heart nearly skipped a beat as she watched two forms emerge from the flaming building. Kylo supported the Abednedo Senator, who did not put any weight on a leg that seemed at an odd angle. The Jedi held his lightsaber, and the purple blade sheathed as they stepped outside. Emergency personnel immediately converged on them and helped carry Atsay away from the building. Kylo took a few steps on his own and doubled over in pain. A droid took his arm and moved him toward the air ambulance.

Rey ripped off the mask and ran over to her fiancé. A droid hovered around him, and a medical staff member jumped in front of Kylo, stopping her a few feet away from the gray Jedi. "Please let us do our job, miss."

Rey stood on her toes to see Kylo sitting on the edge of the open ambulance door. "I need to see him." She resisted the urge to punch the woman for preventing her from getting to her future husband.

"She's my fiancée." Rey barely heard Kylo's soft, gravelly voice, but she pushed past the staff member. The droid pressed a mask identical to the one she had discarded over the Jedi's mouth. Her lungs ached for the pure oxygen against the smoky air, but she paid them no mind as her eyes rested on the red, burned skin traveling across Kylo's left shoulder and down part of his chest. His long, black hair was singed. Ash and soot covered his face the visible skin under his burnt shirt.

Kylo's eyes drifted closed for a moment, and the droid tapped his uninjured shoulder. "No sleep yet, sir. You need to concentrate on breathing."

Rey felt her fear for Kylo's wellbeing rise back up in her stomach and chest. After the destruction of Snoke's base, a lot of Resistance members had died from smoke damage. Many had fallen asleep to never wake up. She pulled herself up onto the ambulance to sit next to Kylo, determined to keep him awake until the droids deemed him well enough to sleep.

His eyes flicked over to her, and he pulled the mask away from his face long enough to whisper, "Arian?"

She nodded and pointed to Jessika, who held the small child in her arms as a droid tended to her leg. Relief flooded through both of them. Rey assumed the little boy was all right if the Padawan was allowed to carry him.

The droid began spraying something on Kylo's burn, and he let out a soft groan of pain through the mask. "We will administer some pain medication, sir. But knowing that you can feel this means the damage is not as extensive as it could be."

The droid shuffled away to retrieve painkillers, and Kylo's eyes shut again. Rey frowned and placed her hand on his knee, seeing a cut bleeding lightly just above his boot. "Kylo? Some Senators are coming over."

His eyes flickered open again, and she took his hand reassuringly as the three Senators approached. Atsay sat in a hover chair with something wrapped around his leg. She could sense their collective apprehension as they neared the two Jedi. "Master Ren?"

Rey blinked in surprise. She had expected them to blatantly accuse Kylo of starting the fire, and she never heard Senators address him by his proper title.

"We wanted to, ah, thank you," the tallest Senator, a man from the Mid Rim with short brown hair, said with a strained voice, "for saving our lives."

She ran her eyes over each of the Senators, noting through their dirty faces that they were three who occasionally spoke against Kylo's presence on Coruscant. Luke had invited them to stay at the Jedi school so that they could observe Kylo's teaching.

Kylo nodded once and did not bother to pull away the mask to speak as he took a deep breath.

"You could've left me under that beam, especially when part of the ceiling collapsed between us," Atsay murmured softly, his eyes downcast as he avoided Kylo's gaze. "We want to apologize for what we've said about you in the Senate."

Kylo's shock mirrored Rey's. He slowly pulled the oxygen mask down to speak but stopped as Jessika limped over with Arian cradled in her arms. "I'm glad you've seen how valuable Master Ren is. The Senate is lucky to have him around."

Kylo started to protest Jessika's words, but the Twi'lek Senator raised a hand to stop him. "You have us as allies in the Senate now, Master Ren."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somewhat prompted by Jinga, who requested to see one of our favorite pair injured and the other scared. Hope you like it! 


	10. Tension

Rey stood at the edge of the small starship landing bay, running her eyes over the three X-Wings, a collectible Imperial-era TIE fighter, and a beat-up combat-class shuttle that had various tools laying around it. She glanced at Poe beside her. "The shuttle's new?"

The pilot grinned, his face becoming animated. "Yeah. It's got busted class one hyperdrive that I've dying to get my hands on. I finally got some time now that Finn's trooper program's up and running properly."

Rey raised an eyebrow. "The Senate finally approved funding again?"

"Someone finally realized it would be cheaper in the long run to fund the rehab and integration of former Stormtroopers than continually police the streets and prisons for them." He rolled his eyes. "Not that we haven't been saying that since they defunded the program."

She snorted softly and turned her attention to Kylo, who stood in the open middle of landing bay with Jessika. Rey barely made out the Jedi's low voice as he spun his lightsaber in an exaggerated motion. "Your two-hand grip is fine, but it gets too loose when you switch to one, which why you keep burning your hand."

Their purple and yellow blades cracked against each other slowly in a sequence of maneuvers. "Good. Faster now."

They repeated the series several times until their blades blurred as they spun through the air. "I can see why Jess never stops talking about him."

Rey's eyes followed Kylo's movements and the way he held his left arm stiffly against his body as he fought with his right. "Hm?"

"Kylo. He works well with her. And the others." Poe tilted his head to the side to gesture through the huge glass window. Rey could see the other four Padawans talking together in a room with four big couches.

Poe looked back to the two fighters as they progressed into a new sequence. He watched the Padawan with a fond expression. "When I adopted Jess, I never expected she'd be on her way to becoming a Jedi, much less take after Kylo Ren. Sometimes I think fate has a good laugh at our expense."

Rey grinned and nodded, vividly remembering how adamant Poe had been against Kylo being even in the same system as the Resistance base when he had left the First Order. Now, he let the Jedi stay in his home and train his adopted daughter. "Fate particularly has a sense of humor concerning him."

The two lightsabers deactivated with a soft swish, and Kylo approached them with Jessika. "I think I'll have you, Kaydel, and Sonzy experiment with different forms to find the ones that fit each of you the best."

The Padawan nodded and flashed a grin at Poe that looked so characteristic of the pilot's that Rey almost forgot they were not biologically related. Pieces of her auburn hair had loosened from her bun and drifted onto her face. "Master Ren is helping me adjust to my lightsaber."

Jessika held out her crossguarded lightsaber hilt to show Poe. The soft curves and rounded edges made it a more feminine version of Kylo's longer, blunt saber. Poe grinned and examined the lightsaber in his hands like he would a starship engine.

Rey shivered in a breeze, and Kylo wrapped his right arm around her shoulders. The heat from his exertion training radiated into her side as they entered Poe's home into the room where the Padawans sat.

Fortunately, Rey's quarters had been on the opposite end of the Jedi school from where the fire started, and they had retrieved their own clothes (much to Kylo's relief, for he was too tall for most clothes to fit him). The Padawans had not been so lucky. Poe kept some spare clothes for Jessika, which Teela and Kaydel had borrowed. Sonzy's small frame practically swam in Poe's bright orange shirt that clashed horribly with his orange-red skin, and Eeth's bulky torso filled out a black shirt that Kylo loaned him.

The Padawans threw a small ball between them with the Force. Rey grinned and twisted her wrist, causing the ball to spin around Kaydel's head and bump against Sonzy's striped head tail. Teela and Eeth snorted in laughter as Kaydel's thin blonde hair frizzed from the ball. The ball levitated again as Jessika tossed it to the Mirialan.

"When are we going find crystals for our new lightsabers?" Eeth's deep voice almost rivaled Kylo's. Sonzy looked up hopefully at the question.

One of the three explosions that caused the fire had set off right next to the two male Padawans' shared room. Their lightsabers both cracked under the pressure and heat.

Kylo took a seat on a free couch, and Rey curled her legs underneath herself as she planted herself next to him. The gray Jedi leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "Once we can find some suitable materials, namely working power grids, I'll escort you to the caves."

Rey slipped her hand into Kylo's, feeling his ring between her fingers. "I think taking a few days to recover has been for the best."

Kylo gave a minute frown at the small display of affection in front of the five Padawans, but he curled his fingers around hers. "Tomorrow, we'll try to do a training exercise."

The ball bumped against Eeth's head and almost popped against one of the horns jutting from his skull. His dark brown hand rose to shove it toward Sonzy, and the Zabrak looked at Kylo demandingly, "And how will we do one without lightsabers?"

The ball smacked into Eeth's face twice in a row, and the mood in the room tensed as the other four Padawans stared at the Zabrak in shock. Kylo raised an eyebrow, meeting Eeth's gaze with an impassive expression. Rey squeezed his hand reassuringly as she sensed his annoyance at the challenge. "Why don't you let me figure that out?"

Eeth's impatience flooded through the Force as he popped the ball. Before he could protest further, Poe strode into the room with his arms full of various colorful bags. "Food!"

* * *

Rey brushed her fingers over the singed ends of Kylo's hair and slowly closed the scissors just above the crisp edges until the left side of his hair fell just above his shoulders. In the chaos since in the fire, they barely had time to sleep let alone just be together long enough for Rey to fix the damage. His fingers went through the dark locks so frequently lately that the unevenness could barely be noticed with the rest of his thick hair.

Kylo shifted to cross his legs and leaned his back against Rey's legs from where she sat on the couch. She could see through his reflection in the window that his eyes were closed. Her fingers slowly through the black hair, straightening out the ends as she snipped the scissors. The newly severed locks curled as they fell onto Kylo's back and the floor.

She felt the tension in Kylo's shoulders gradually release as she methodically clipped away his hair. After a few minutes, he murmured, "Luke found a connection between the fire explosions and Nevran's fever virus."

Rey looked up at the Jedi's reflection and hissed as the scissors sliced her skin. Pain lanced up her finger, accompanied by a swell of blood. Kylo turned to face Rey and took her wrist gently, pressing his lips to her finger. His tongue flicked over the cut before he moved to kiss the inside of her wrist briefly. "Didn't mean to distract you."

She kissed him gently, enjoying being the one to have to bend down for once. They pulled away after a moment, and she tasted a faint tang of iron from her blood on his lips. She held up the scissors again. "I'm not done."

Kylo turned back around and let Rey run her fingers careful through the last uncut portion of his hair. "What's the connection?"

"They're part of the same group. Metal from the explosives and the ring both came from Geonosis." He paused for a moment as more hair fell away, and she sensed his exhaustion. "I think it may be the First Order trying to eliminate the Jedi."

Rey pursed her lips and combed her fingers through the black hair to check for stray long hairs. "Have you told Luke this theory?"

Kylo ran a hand through his hair as she set down the scissors. "Not yet. It's just a hunch. They had a small base on Geonosis. It was insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but it's possible one of those pockets reopened it."

Rey crossed her legs and leaned back against the couch, her mind racing with the new information. If Kylo was correct, the attack on Arian's city might not have been a random incident. The Jedi moved to sit next to her and let out a yawn, which he covered with his right hand.

She reached out and brushed some pieces of hair off his shoulders. "We'll talk to Luke tomorrow."

Kylo nodded and blinked drowsily. "And visit Arian." He slid down to lay on the couch, grumbling softly as he was forced to curl up his legs. "Remind me why we let the Padawans have the guest rooms?"

Rey pulled his head in her lap as she grinned down at him. "Because you have a big soft spot for all of them."

Kylo let out a soft laugh, and Rey ran her hand through his newly cut hair as he drifted to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another slight combo of prompts by Tripping55! Let me know what you think!


	11. Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter switches between Rey and Kylo's perspectives. I hope you all enjoy it!

Rey hated wearing dresses.

But she stared at the mirror, swallowing in disbelief as she took in the white gown. One of the wealthy Senators – grateful for Kylo saving his life – had sent it as a gift. She had a suspicion that her fiancé had given his input in the design, for she could not deny that it suited her.

The dress left her arms bare but covered her shoulders. The collar came almost up to her jaw and gave way to a plunging neckline. A piece of white lace gave back a touch of modesty that Rey appreciated. A silver belt with an intricate design cinched her waist, and the soft material hugged her hips and legs to flair out at her knees.

Rey supposed she did not hate _all_ dresses.

She turned to Teela, who held Rey's saberstaff loosely in her hands. She did not have any female friends close to her own age, not since Jessika Dameron's namesake had passed during the Resistance attack on Snoke. The fifteen-year-old Mirialan had offered to help her prepare in leu of Poe's semi-joke of lending a hand. She suddenly felt insecure as the Padawan's jaw opened. "Does… it look all right?"

"You're stunning." Teela grinned and tilted her head toward the door. "Master Ren is lucky."

Rey looked back at the mirror and lightly touched the single, simple bun that held her hair back. Jessika had done her hair with a careful hand that morning and let Rey's mind wander as she chatted aimlessly about Kylo and where they should go to spend time together as newlyweds.

Nerves twisted at her stomach, although she could not tell if they originated from Kylo or herself. Her fiancé's emotions were usually intense, and she sometimes could not decipher which of them felt the emotion first. She let out a slow breath and decided the nerves came from both.

Marrying Kylo would serve to strengthen their bond and solidify her standing to the Senate that he had reformed. It was not as if their lives would change drastically. They already unofficially lived together, and their Force bond allowed them to work together better than most couples. She loved Kylo without doubt, but she could not understand the strange feeling that nagged at the back of her mind.

"Ready?"

Rey looked down at the engagement ring on her finger and slipped it onto her right hand. "Ready. You'll hold onto that for me?"

Teela nodded once and gripped the saberstaff tightly. The schooled expression typical of her people concealed the excitement Rey could sense from the Padawan. "Of course."

* * *

BB-8 let off soft beeps and whirs of happiness as it zigzagged up the short aisle. The droid flashed a light at Poe and Finn as it passed and took a place near Luke.

Kylo suppressed a roll of his eyes and tugged at his long sleeve as he took a breath. It felt strange not to have the light weight of the ring on his left hand. He had begun to rely on its reminder of Rey when she was not around, but the feeling of her presence calmed the minor unease that settled in his stomach. He stepped forward and took several long strides down the aisle.

A musician droid played one of Rey's favorite song, the same one he had set up to play when he had proposed. She wanted to get a live musician or two to play, but their abrupt decision to marry quickly in the face of a potential threat from the First Order required them to abandon most of their plans. Kylo felt a twinge of guilt that he could not provide more for Rey.

He took his place at Luke's left and turned to face the tiny gathered audience that consisted of Poe, Finn, the five Padawans, and Arian, who sat happily in Jessika's lap. He gave a soft smile to the infant child, but his gaze quickly diverted to the vision in white who entered from the open doors of the temple.

All his nerves vanished as his eyes remained fixed on his beautiful bride. She walked alone down the short aisle, and her hands held a small bouquet of green flowers. He could see her fingers fidget around the steams as she walked. The white that encased her body shown against the cool gray stones of the courtyard, and her familiar Light radiated through the Force.

Dear stars, he did not deserve her.

Rey handed her flowers to Teela as she passed the Padawan. Her dazzling smile greeted him as she took her place at his side, and they turned as one to face Luke.

"Today is a celebration. A celebration of friendship, of commitment, of love, and of these two people who have defied all odds to be together." The Jedi Master's expression softened as he met their eyes. "Rey. Kylo. You have shown the galaxy that love and attachment does not cause one to fall to the Dark, as the Jedi Order once believed. Indeed, with the right people of willing hearts, it can bring peace and strengthen the ties of family, by either blood or foraged bonds."

Kylo felt Rey's fingers intertwine with his, and he squeezed her hand gently as Luke continued. "You're about to make promises to each other. There's a simple premise to each of these: you're vowing to be there."

BB-8 chirped and rolled forward, the small head shifting back and forth rapidly to take in both Rey and Kylo. A small compartment opened from the droid, revealing two shining silver bands.

Luke's gentle blue eyes fell onto Kylo to address him. "Will you, Kylo, keep Rey as your wife — to laugh with her, adventure with her, support her through life's tough moments, be proud of her, grow old with her, and find new reasons to love her every day?"

Kylo looked to Rey's beautiful face and did not hesitate to say, "I will." He took the thinner band from BB-8 and fumbled with it for a moment in his large hand before he pressed it gently onto Rey's left ring finger.

"And will you, Rey, keep Kylo as your husband — to laugh with him, adventure with him, support him through life's tough moments, be proud of him, grow old with him, and find new reasons to love him every day?"

Rey beamed up at Kylo and took the remaining band from BB-8, pressing it onto his ring finger with more grace than he had managed. "I will."

Kylo could hear the smile in Luke's voice, but he could not take his eyes off of Rey as they kept both of their hands entwined. "Will you, Rey and Kylo, be each other's partners from this day forward? Will you bring out the best in one another, share your happiest moments together, and love each other absolutely — for the rest of this lifetime and for whatever may come next?"

Their combined voices echoed in the courtyard. "We will."

Kylo bent down and brought his hand up to Rey's neck as he kissed her gently.

Arian's happy giggle sounded from the small audience, and Kylo felt Rey's smile against his lips before they pulled away.

He should not have been surprised to hear the explosion as it ripped open the aisle.

* * *

Rey swore loudly as she hit the ground next to Kylo. His dark cloak covered her middle, and he hunched over her as another shot rang out. She sat up and reached behind her back to grab her lightsaber. Her fingers closed around hair, and she cursed herself for deciding not to carry it.

Sonzy sprinted past them with a crying Arian, and Kylo got to his feet, catching his own lightsaber as Jessika tossed it to him. The remaining four Padawans formed a large circle with Poe, Fine, and Luke, and Rey took her saberstaff from Teela as they joined the defensive circle.

They remained still for several long moments as Rey squinted through the smoke, and she sensed the approaching person as Kylo yelled, "Duck!"

A round object blinked red overhead and landed between Kylo and Jessika. Her new husband shot his hand forward, and the object flew several feet back before detonating. Rey fell into a heap on top of Luke, Jessika, and Kylo.

Her ears rang from the explosive sounds, and she vaguely noticed the dirt marring the white of her dress. She used her staff to help her stand and watched Teela rush forward with Kaydel through the smoke. Something sharp dug into her bare foot – she had not bothered to find expensive shoes that she would fall in when wearing.

Kylo's lightsaber hummed next to her, and he helped Jessika up with his free hand. He gave Rey a sharp look. "I thought we kept this a secret."

Rey scanned what had turned into a miniscule battlefield. Eeth lay on the ground, blood staining his dark skin as Luke knelt over him. Smoke rose from the sites of the explosions. "Someone must've let it slip."

Teela and Kaydel emerged from the smoke, holding a slim man between them. Kaydel's hand pointed toward him to freeze him with the Force, but her attempts only lasted for a few seconds before he struggled again. Teela's blue lightsaber pointed at his neck.

Kaydel held up another round device as they pushed the man to his knees. "Found another explosive on him."

Rey took the device from the Padawan and turned it over in her hand. It was small, and she likely would not have taken it for a weapon if she had not seen one detonate already. She looked up at Kylo, frowning. "Think it's from Geonosis?"

Kylo inclined in his head and turned his gaze to the man. "How'd you find us?"

The man laughed up at him. "You Jedi think you're so invincible."

Rey barely had time to jump before the man pulled out a blaster pistol and shot it at Kylo.

* * *

Kylo prided himself on keep his wits about him during battle, but everything slowed as the blue blaster bolt shot toward him. His hand raised to stop it, but he knew he moved too slowly. He braced himself for the oncoming pain. A blur of white clouded his vision for a moment before it dropped heavily to the ground with an all-too-familiar scream.

His heart nearly stopped as he watched red stain the white. He dropped to his knees next to his new wife and pressed his hands over the new wound on her left side. Her beautiful face contorted in agony, and he could sense her pain through their bond. He held her hand with his left, hazily noting the red blemishing the silver of his ring. "Rey… Rey…"

"Master Ren, your cloak." Jessika's voice sounded distantly through the fog, and he stared up at her in confusion.

The Padawan's hand gently unclasped the cloak from around his neck, and she handed it to Teela. Jessika then took the end of it, and the sounds of ripping fabric enveloped the still air. Kylo took a piece and began wrapping it tightly around Rey's middle, desperate to stop the horrifying red.

As he bound the third strip of his mutilated cloak around Rey's dress, he stopped in shock as a short laugh escaped his wife's lips. "It really wouldn't be our wedding if something terrible hadn't happened, would it?"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the corner of Kylo's mouth pulled into a half-smile. If Rey was well enough to joke, she would be all right. He felt a laugh bubble up his throat. Dear stars, he loved this woman.

He finished binding the wound, and Rey's hand lifted to pull him down by his neck. Their lips met in a long kiss. Several uncomfortable throats cleared around them, and Kylo pressed his forehead to Rey's as they parted. She smiled softly up at him and whispered, "Now, we'll have matching scars, my husband."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You really didn't think their wedding would go off without a hitch, did you? Prompted by Meg, who asked to see Kylo worried for Rey, and JuliaAurelia who wanted the wedding. I pulled help for the vows from several different sites. A picture of the dress can be found if you search 'Wedding" on my Tumblr page. Let me know what you think!


	12. Weep

The chronometer seemed to be mocking him. The glowing red seconds ticked by steady rate, counting the time he would never get to sleep. Kylo raked a hand through his hair, forcing himself to let out a controlled breath as he glared at the ceiling. The lights of a speeder shifted through the window, and he pressed his lips together to prevent a growl of frustration.

He barely slept since his wedding. For a fleeting moment, he had held hope that once he and Rey were fully together, forever bonded, he would finally be content enough to sleep. The bed of Poe's guest room felt awkward against his back, and it was too short for his tall frame. The Padawans had rather aggressively insisted they take a room so that Rey could recover in relative peace.

If Kylo was honest with himself, the somewhat small bed was what kept him awake. The First Order threat loomed ever ominously in his mind. He was used to targets on his own life for he had committed atrocities that would only be reconciled by his death.

But targets on the Padawans – the innocent children that all somehow forgave his past – would not be tolerated, and the recent attack on his own wedding, on _Rey,_ infuriated Kylo. She could fully handle herself, but he would rather she never found herself in a situation to do so.

He wished he could tear the First Order apart with his bare hands for shooting his wife.

Kylo turned slowly to face her. Rey lay on her side, her abdomen expanding and contracting in deep, even breaths. The thin material of her gray nightshirt scrunched up near her arm from some movement in sleep, revealing the healing wound on her left side. The medical droid had recommended she leave the bandages off for the night to allow the injury to breathe – whatever that meant.

He pressed his fingers to the raised skin on his own side. The scar angled down toward his back, and he remembered vividly the sheer agony Chewie's bowcaster had caused and the way he had tapped into the pain to fight. How lost he had been then as he blindly followed Snoke's orders.

Kylo could not tear his gaze away from the angry red skin that surrounded a thin layer of synthflesh. He would have preferred enduring pain himself rather than watch and feel his partner live through the suffering. He could have lost Rey just moments into their marriage if that shot had hit only a few centimeters elsewhere. He needed her. Depended on her. A part of him knew he would fall apart without her, and he thanked the stars that the blaster bolt had hit her where it did and not in a more critical place.

Something wet fell on the pillow, and he brought his fingers up to his face. He could not recall the last time he cried as he stared at his damp fingertips. He sat up slowly and covered his face with a hand, struggling to repress his inevitable sobs that threatened to rise up in his throat. He could not seem to control the onslaught of tears, and a damp circle collected on the material of his pants. His chest ached at the thought of continuing on without Rey. Dear stars, why did he feel everything so severely?

"Kylo?" Rey's groggy voice sounded behind him.

He swallowed past a lump in his throat and shook his head, not daring to look at his wife. "Go back to sleep."

His damned voice betrayed him as it shook unevenly at a higher pitch than usual, and he knew she could sense his distress. Guilt panged through him for disturbing her essential rest.

Rey's familiar warm hands ran across his back as she wrapped her arms around his middle. He felt her head rest against his shoulder as her thumbs traced soothing circles on his skin. The traitorous sob finally escaped his lips.

His sides shuddered as he took a breath, and Rey did not press him to speak. He tasted salt as his tongue brushed over his lips, and he gasped out, "I didn't want to wake you."

"You're more important than sleep." He felt her lips press against his shoulder blade for a brief moment.

Kylo squeezed his eyes shut in a futile attempt to stop the tears. He could not decide if he preferred this breakdown over a blinding rage. He seemed to have more control over the Force, but he assumed Rey had something to do with that. "I… I can't lose you."

She shifted to sit in front of him, and Kylo barely made out a soft smile on her face through the blur of tears. Her hand pressed lightly against the scarred side of his face. "It's going to take a lot more than a measly blaster pistol to take me away from you."

Kylo leaned into her hand, and suddenly the words blurted through soft gasps of what he thought to be a rising panic attack. "I'll be… alone. You'd have Finn and Poe… but I… I can't be alone again."

Another sob broke through, and he could not see Rey's expression through the tears. Her form stood from the bed. He blinked rapidly to see her, but new tears only formed as she whispered, "I'll be right back."

He struggled to calm down and repeated over and over to himself that Rey would be back at his side in a moment.

"You won't be alone. Not while I'm around, and not while this little guy is around." A small yawn reached Kylo's ears, and his head shot up to watch Rey sit back down with Arian in her arms. She set the child on her lap and grinned down at him. "You won't let Kylo go, will you?"

Arian mirrored her grin, and tiny hands clapped choppily together as he gazed up at Kylo. Rey gave a sfot laugh as she watched the infant.

He felt a smile slowly spread across his face, and the tension in his body began to relax as Rey hugged the infant and pressed a kiss to the small forehead. "See? Arian needs you. The Padawans need you. Finn and Poe like you more than you think, especially since you, oh I don't know, _saved_ Poe and Jessika's lives."

Kylo pulled one of Rey's many blankets to him and slowly wiped his face, watching as Rey held Arian close. The child curled up in her arms and kept a tired eye on Kylo.

Rey moved over to Kylo and wrapped an arm around his waist. He in turn slid an arm over her shoulders as they lay back together against the headboard. He ran a hand slowly over Arian's back as the infant's eyes drifted closed.

The exhaustion from the stress and breakdown weighed at Kylo's limbs. He barely noticed his own eyelids shut before Rey pressed a kiss to the side of his face. "Kylo?"

He opened his heavy eyes and pulled the blanket over their legs. "Hm?"

"We should have one of our own."

Kylo ran a hand through Arian's dark hair, his eyes closing half-way. "One of our own what?"

Rey snorted softly and pressed the child into his free arm so that she was free to curl up against him. "One of _these,_ Kylo Ren."

He was too tired to argue that any child of his would face skepticism, doubt, and hate from anyone he or she met. But he could not deny that he wanted a child with Rey, especially if that made his wife happy. He vaguely murmured a soft "all right" as sleep claimed him at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt by Hadley, and a smidge of one by Sheena Kushiashi! Also, drop whatever you're going to do next and go check out this absolutely beautiful, amazing, wonderful, fantastic art created by Panda Capuccino that features Rey, Kylo, and Arian. Search for it on my tumblr or panda-capuccino, since I can't link things here. Go now!


	13. Spar

Rey raised her hands and allowed the practice saber to split apart in the air. The stabilizing grid and small crystal floated in front of her eyes. She slowly knelt down to allow the small group of younglings see separated pieces of the lightsaber.

"The kyber crystal directs the power of the blade into a loop, but every part plays a role in the proper functioning. Just like the Jedi." Rey flicked her ring finger upwards, and a round component jumped above the rest of the pieces. "The stabilizing ring is cracked, you see? It's why the blade keeps sputtering."

She lowered the ring, and the closest youngling took the piece, rolling it in his small hands. Rey smiled and watched each youngling examine the ring. "Look at this."

She closed her hands together, and the lightsaber reassembled without the ring. She pressed her thumb down, and the green blade hummed erratically as it shuddered and spit. The hilt quickly grew hot in her hands, and she deactivated the blade before it could burst. "Every part is important. Every Jedi – every _one_ – is important. It's our job to keep the peace in the galaxy."

Rey set the broken saber on the bench beside her and glanced up at the group of three Padawans training a small distance away. The early morning sun broke through the shadow of a cloud, and the newly finished portion of the Jedi school cast a shadow over the crew that worked on the collapsed section. The Padawan's blades smashed and sparked against each other as they attempted to hold off the other two.

The sleek durasteel cast a direct beam of light onto Kylo, who stood at the edge of the outdoor training yard. The Jedi wore a black cloak that rippled in the cool breeze and revealed the dark gray attire underneath. Poe had given them each a few sets of clothing as wedding gift to replace the clothes they had lost from smoke damage. The pilot had bought a set of gray Jedi clothes as a joke for Kylo, and she was surprised that he actually chose to wear them. She could not decide if he wore them as a joke back at Poe, or if he genuinely liked the clothing.

Rey blinked and shook her head slightly as she turned back to the younglings. "We'll get this saber fixed soon, but this leaves us with only one practice saber. Why don't we try our Force skills for the rest of the morning?"

The four children nodded eagerly, and Rey took the broken saber as she stood. "Try to lift the bench."

Four small hands rose, and the faces of the younglings scrunched up as they stared at the bench. Rey could sense the Force wrap jerkily around the bench, but none of the younglings had the individual strength to move the small bench. She smiled softly and raised an eyebrow, keeping her voice gentle as she spoke. "Remember the saber? All of you need to play a part together."

The younglings glanced at each other before staring at the bench with renewed focus. The thin stone wobbled slightly. Rey nodded encouragingly, but the bench clattered against the permacrete when a low voice sounded behind her. "Rey?"

Kylo's familiar hand pressed against her upper back. "Sorry to interrupt." His eyes rested on the younglings, who gazed up at his tall form in awe. "Would your students care to see a sparring match between us? I'd like to show the Padawans something."

Rey grinned at the younglings as they nodded, none taking their eyes off Kylo. She took the saberstaff from her back, holding its weight carefully in her hands. "I think we could take a break to help you out."

She did not allow the blades to activate as she swept the metal in a quick motion at Kylo. Her husband leaned back to avoid the blunt end of the staff and took several steps away, his body immediately tensing at the sudden attack. Rey grinned and followed him across the space, bringing her staff toward his arm as he reached for the hilt at his belt. Kylo twisted and turned in a full circle, and Rey heard the hum of his lightsaber as it unsheathed.

Her short blue blade clashed with his purple one as Kylo swung his saber toward her still-healing side. They sparked against each other while the gray Jedi pressed his weight against their locked blades. Rey ducked down and darted around Kylo, knowing from experience that his superior strength would wear her down if he forced her to defend against his attacks.

Kylo stepped away to avoid her blade toward his back, and he turned to face her, his free hand moving up to remove the cloak from around his throat. It fell in a heap to the cool ground, and the Jedi charged toward her, the lightsaber spinning in his right hand before he swung at Rey's left arm. They began exchanging a flurry of blows that sent vibrations up her arms each time their sabers collided. She tried multiple times to dance away from his saber, but the gray Jedi managed to block each attempt.

They rarely sparred since Kylo began teaching, and Rey had started to forget how difficult it was for either to gain the upper hand. Their Force bond gave them each the advantage of sensing the other's intended moves, not to mention they knew each other's fighting styles too well. They could very well tire before either could win.

Her staff darted out and caught his blade again, and she brought the opposite end up. They stood too close for her blade to hit him – which neither of them wanted anyway – but the fist that clutched the staff slammed into Kylo's side.

Her husband hissed, and his free hand jerked forward. Rey stumbled backwards with the Force, and a gasp escaped her lips as she lost her footing and crashed against the hard permacrete. Her staff clattered to the ground next to her. Kylo advanced slowly, holding his saber loosely in his hand. Rey pulled her staff into her hand with the Force and swept it against the back of Kylo's knees.

His broad form hit the ground heavily next to her, and a breathless laugh expelled from his throat. Rey scrambled to her feet and felt a smirk pull at her lips as she looked down at Kylo. She started to raise her staff to his neck to proclaim herself the victor when a slow clap echoed through the training space.

Rey turned, expecting to see the three Padawans clapping. Instead, Sonzy's fingers traced his new lightsaber hilt, and Kaydel's arms crossed over her chest. Jessika stood still, her back straight and her blue eyes narrowed toward the two Senators who stood in the shadow of the Jedi school.

Rey held out her hand, and she gripped Kylo's wrist as he took it to pull himself to his feet. His lightsaber hilt gave a soft click as he placed it at his belt, and they walked toward the Senators as one. Her husband's voice strained slightly as he tried to keep his tone light. "Senators. What do we owe this pleasure?"

The Senator who had clapped, a small Twi'lek female with green skin, raked her eyes over Kylo slowly. Her gaze rested on the Jedi's arm, where his dark sleeve clung to his biceps. Rey felt a strange emotion burn in her stomach that she realized was jealousy. Most people tended to avoid Kylo, and it was rare to see someone so openly stare at her partner.

"Impressive fighting, Ren." The Twi'lek cleared her throat and tore her gaze away from Kylo's form as she took a datapad from her companion. The other Senator, a blonde man who Rey vaguely recognized, watched Kylo carefully with tight lips, and his eyes kept darting to the lightsaber at the Jedi's belt.

Kylo inclined his head and clasped his hands behind his back, his stance loose. Rey sensed he was trying to convey that he meant no harm. "Thank you, Senator. Master Skywalker did not inform me that you would be observing a session today."

The Twi'lek woman's eyes mapped Kylo's face for a moment, and he ran a hand through his hair as a twinge of unease shot through their bond. The Senator handed Kylo the datapad. "The Senate will be conducting a full investigation into the fire of the Jedi Academy."

Rey watched Kylo's body tense as his eyes flicked over the words on the datapad. "And an inquiry… into me. Again."

The blonde Senator finally spoke up, and Rey could tell he forced his voice low to sound intimidating even as he stood several inches shorter than Kylo. "There are indications from several reliable sources that you, Ren, started the fire to kill all of the young Jedi and three members of the Senate."

Kylo's hand tightened around the datapad as Rey scoffed incredulously. "Who are these sources? Master Ren was with me all night. He went straight from training to dinner to our rooms without setting fire to anything."

The blonde man smiled wanly at Rey. "You'll understand if we do not believe your words to defend your husband, Rey Solo."

Rey's own ire mirrored Kylo's, and she found she could not find the words to argue. She gaped at the two Senators and barely registered Jessika's approach until the young Padawan spoke. "You have never found Master Ren guilty at any of these inquiries. You know you will not time around either. He was injured saving the lives of those three Senators. I would think he would've left a building he knew would be in flames if he had set the fire, wouldn't you?"

The blonde Senator looked at Jessika as if she were a youngling proclaim she was a princess while the Twi'lek looked back to Kylo. "May we see the injury?"

Kylo hesitated for a long moment. "I do not care to strip off my clothes with my students around."

If Rey had not been watching the Twi'lek cautiously, she would have missed the disappointment wrinkle the green skin for the brief second. "Shame. I'm sure we will examine it most carefully during the inquiry hearing." She took the datapad back from Kylo before his tight hold could crack the screen. "Good day, Master Ren. We will see you in three days' time to evaluate your role in the fire."

The two Senators turned and swept toward their parked speeder, and Rey grabbed Kylo's shoulder to prevent him from acting on the impulse she could sense through their bond. She moved in front of him and gripped his upper arms. "Jess is right. There's no way they can find any evidence. It's just a minor inconvenience. Besides, this time you have those three Senators to defend you."

She pressed her lips to Kylo's, and she tasted the caf he drank most mornings as he kissed her back. He leaned his forehead against hers for a moment before he seemed to remember the younglings and Padawans nearby. He looked to them, his hand finding the lightsaber at his belt. "Now that you three've seen our fighting styles, why don't you work to get the better of us?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sort of a prompt from Meg, but with a slightly more serious tone. Let me know what you think. I really appreciate all the reviews!


	14. Hearing

"Amazing how they can get a hearing of the full Senate together so fast because of the scary Kylo Ren, but when we ask for, oh I don't know, _important_ matters like the functioning of the galaxy, months go by," Poe grumbled as he plopped down to the gray Jedi's right.

Kylo allowed a hand to tread through his hair nervously as he watched the Senators slowly trickle into the huge gathering space. The sleek silver tables wrapped in a wide semicircle and descended down to a small gathering area. A metal table stood within the space, and an imposing podium faced it. A large unit lay on the floor behind the table to project a holo of those in the space to ensure every member of the Senate could see and hear everything. He sat to the side of the gathering area where guests would occasionally observe Senate meetings. The space felt too sterile to Kylo, and too much like the First Order for his liking, although he supposed his negative relationship with the room may have something to do with that impression.

He glanced at Poe, silently glad to have a friendly face nearby. "Maybe you should just say whatever you're trying to get accomplished will in some way inconvenience me."

Poe barked a laugh loud enough to draw the attention of a few of the Senators. "As sad as that sounds, some might actually go for it."

Kylo gave a soft hum in agreement and fiddled with the ring on his left hand as the Senators began taking their places. Rey convinced him that leaving off his gloves would convey no intent to hide anything, and he hoped the gray clothing would make him appear less like the Dark Sider most of the Senators seemed to think he still was. He kept his eyes on the ring as he spoke again. "Are you here to be a character witness again?"

"Nah. I've repeated myself too many times to really make any difference." Poe clapped a hand on Kylo's shoulder, and he suppressed a frown at the touch. "They know I side with you. I just thought reminding them of that fact would help. They seem to like _me_."

Kylo snorted softly and pressed his lips together for a moment. "Everyone likes you, Dameron."

Poe's lips twitched into a smirk. "They tend to trust people who aren't Force-sensitive, you know? Even when they talk to Luke, they're wary. It creeps them out that you can do mind tricks, even though you've all sworn to only do them for the good of the Republic."

An Abednedo Senator stood from his place in one of the front rows and hobbled slowly down the stairs with a short cane to stand in front of the podium. A twinge of relief flooded through Kylo as he recognized Atsay, one of the three he had saved in the fire. The Senators rotated among their ranks for the positions of Overseer and Assistant to prevent mistakes made by the Old Republic. He must have more allies than he thought if the hearing fell during Atsay's month.

The Abednedo cleared his throat loudly, and the holo burst to life with an image of the Senator. The general chatter slowly died down as Atsay began with his voice amplified by the podium. "As we all know, having the support of the Jedi is paramount to keeping peace in the galaxy. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker has frequently given testimony of his full trust for Master Kylo Ren. Yet there are some among us who doubt the intentions of Master Ren, so we once again ask the members of the Senate to give their valuable time to listen with open hearts and minds. We will hear from several witnesses of the shocking fire that destroyed the Jedi Academy."

Atsay paused and glanced at Kylo, and he felt a strange feeling of apology through the Force. "Since I must give my own account of the event, Overseer Assistant Kilnetel will take over for the duration of this hearing."

The name sounded vaguely familiar to Kylo, and he cast his eyes over the numerous faces until they rested upon a green-skinned Twi'lek who descended the stairs from her place among the Senators of the Inner Rim. The woman took the podium, and Kylo's stomach sank as her gaze fixated on him.

He was used to looks of fear and distrust – or happiness and love from his wife – but the piercing green gaze of the Twi'lek made the hairs on his neck stand on end. No one had ever looked at him in such a way. Not even Snoke, who had always watched him as if he were a prize. Rey had ranted on how unprofessional and inappropriate Kilnetel had been with her stares on the training ground. Kylo thought Rey had been overreacting, but now that those eyes raked over his body again, he realized he had not reacted enough.

Kilnetel looked as if she wished to devour him as she spoke. "We will begin by hearing the accounts of Senators Atsay, Tomsega, and Truski."

The three Senators took seats at the metal table in the gathering space, and the holo flickered for a moment before showing their images. Tomsega, a Twi'lek with a blue hue to his skin, spoke with an authoritative voice as he looked out among the Senators. "Let me begin by saying that I, like many of you, once believed Master Kylo Ren could never truly break free of his dark past."

Kylo's fingers curled into fists, and he focused upon Rey's faint presence through their bond to keep his annoyance at bay. She was nearby, but since she did not have nearly as much political experience as Kylo, the Senate might coerce her into saying something out of context that could harm him.

"Master Skywalker invited us to stay at the academy to observe Master Ren's teaching of the Padawans. I expected to see veiled attempts at preaching the Dark Side." Tomsega paused as several members of the Senate nodded. "I cannot speak for my fellow Senators, but I found not an evil Dark Sider. Rather, I discovered master Ren to be a caring, effective teacher who worked to make sure his students did their best and understood his lessons."

The human Senator Truski raised a hand as a few murmurs sprang up. "Before you object that he only acted caring because we were watching, we told the Jedi we would arrive in the evening and watch a session the next day. We instead came in the early afternoon and watched a live holovid of Master Ren's training session. We were supposed to watch in person the next day, but the fire happened that night."

A green light flashed from about halfway up the rows of tables to indicate someone wanted to ask a question, and the Senator sitting behind it shouted, "And do you have this holovid for us to watch?"

Truski sighed and shook his head, his shoulders tensing. "No. It was destroyed in the fire. I suggest you watch his future sessions to get an idea of what we witnessed."

"And how do we know Ren didn't just use some Force trick to make you all think this?"

Kylo's hand ran through his hair again, and he could feel his heart hammering in his chest. He wished more people were Force-sensitive to detect lies and sense when mind tricks were at play. Sometimes he just wished he had not inherited the Skywalker powers.

Truski met the accusing Senator's gaze evenly. "Considering he saved our lives, I doubt that very much."

"Please give us your account of the fire, Senators," Kilnetel's amplified voice cut over another protest.

Atsay leaned forward and frowned up at the gathered Senators. "Master Skywalker showed us to very comfortable rooms, and I went to bed early. I think you could all imagine how confused I was to have seen a very different Master Ren than I'd been expecting." He paused as if to gather his thoughts. "I slept for maybe a few hours when my datapad alerted me to a fire. I think the systems of the building had been tampered with because when I opened my door, smoke was already thick in the hall.

"I found Tomsega within the smoke, but an explosion went off in front of Truski's door before we could get to him. I do not know how many of you have experienced a fire, but we could barely see, hardly breathe, and we did not know how to get out."

Tomsega rolled up his right sleeve to his elbow, revealing a long, pink burn that marred his blue skin. The holo focused on it for a moment before spanning out to give the images of the three Senators again. "We tried getting into Truski's room, but the flames got my arm. We were suffocating in the smoke when Master Ren came. He pushed the flames down – I assume with the Force – and cut open the door with his lightsaber. He was coughing even more than we were, but he helped us find the way out. We thought we were in the clear until part of the ceiling collapsed. Master Ren pulled Truski and me out of the way, but a pillar fell on Atsay and a sheet of durasteel hit Ren's shoulder."

Atsay spoke up again, and Kylo noticed the Senator unconsciously rub his leg. "The pillar broke my leg. I could hear Master Ren coughing hard, and I figured he would just save himself. But I felt the pillar move several times before his lightsaber cut through it, and he pulled me out."

The room was quiet for a moment before a Senator burst out, "I wouldn't put it past Ren to start the fire and then save you just so that he could gain the trust of the Senate."

Kylo shut his eyes and pulled in a slow breath like Rey told him to do. He seemed to learn so much about himself that he never knew at these hearings.

"I would think after the very thorough invasion of Master Ren's privacy these last few years, we should be convinced of his loyalties toward us," Truski frowned at the man who had spoken. "Quite frankly, I'm not even sure why this hearing is necessary when Master Skywalker has already determined the origins of the explosives were from Geonosis, a planet in which Master Ren has never been to. He has proven in front of us on numerous occasions that he has severed ties from the First Order, especially with his help of defeating Snoke with Master Solo."

Truski cleared his throat nervously and then continued, "I would like to put forth a motion to end this hearing now and continue finding the true perpetrator of the fire."

Kylo's eyes flew open in shock, and he looked up at large room. Poe muttered a cuss word in some language Kylo did not know. The rest of the audience stared at Truski in silence.

"Motion denied, Senator Truski," Kilnetel smoothly broke the quiet. "We have information from a source that wishes to remain anonymous for their own safety that Ren started the fire. We will adjourn for a short break and return to hear Ren's account of the incident."

Kylo stood as a few of the Senators left the room and clenched his fists as he paced a few steps forward and back to where Poe lounged in his chair. "Well, your new friends certainly like risking their political necks for you."

Kylo ran a hand through his hair to push a few stray locks out of his face. He felt exposed without the familiar weight of his lightsaber at his belt. "I would like to know who fed this rumor of my starting the fire."

Poe grunted in agreement. "'For their own safety.' If a coward wants to accuse you, they should face you directly." The pilot nodded over Kylo's shoulder. "Your admirer's coming."

He turned and chewed his lower lip for a moment as Kilnetel approached. The Senator appraised him as she spoke. "Ren. I would just like to give you a warning that we will be needing to see the injury you sustained to confirm Senator Tomsega's words."

Kylo crossed his arms over his chest as an uncomfortable feeling crept into his stomach. Rey was the only person he really allowed to touch him, let alone see him without clothes. "The medical droids have images on my record that I am sure we could retrieve quickly." He ran his left hand through his hair, moving slowly enough so that Kilnetel's eyes trailed the silver band on his ring finger.

Kilnetel's dark green lips curled into smile. Kylo studied her face and found he had trouble reading her emotions through the Force. "Unfortunately, once a hearing has begun, we cannot allow outside sources to enter the proceedings."

"And what kind of bantha fodder is that?"

The Senator jumped and turned to face the scowling face of Rey. Kylo felt his lips twitch in an involuntary grin as his wife blatantly took his hand and intertwined their fingers together. "I've been doing some rather dry reading lately since you've decided to once again attack my husband. There is no such rule about barring outside sources."

Kylo blinked down at Rey in surprise, and he felt her hand squeeze around his. "I think you can find hearing proceedings under section eighty-three or something. It's hard to remember when the numbers get so high, and especially when I have my _husband_ around."

Kilnetel flustered for a moment before she quickly turned away. "I'll see what we can do about getting those images."

Kylo kissed Rey's forehead for a moment and whispered softly, "Nice bluff."

Rey grinned up at him. "Like I would ever read something that dull."

Dear stars, he loved her. They took a seat together at the row of guest chairs, and Rey waved at Poe as Kylo frowned. "Weren't you going to do something with the Padawans today for me?"

"They insisted on playing with Poe's flight simulators. I couldn't say no."

Kylo gave a soft laugh, watching as the Senators began taking their seats again. "You're worse than me."

"Guilty." Rey pressed a datapad into Kylo's hands. "Here. Eeth suggested having the droids try to retrieve information of us looking at pictures that night. They got a little bit back, but it could help."

He nodded and took the damaged datapad as Kilnetel took the podium again. "The Senate asks Kylo Ren to give his account of the fire."

Kylo stood and crossed the gap to the table in a few strides, trying to keep his nerves out of his face. No matter how many times he had done this, he still hated all the eyes that stared at him. He looked down his hands for a moment before forcing himself to meet Kilnetel's gaze. "As the esteemed Senators stated earlier, I was with three of Padawans that day training them on lightsaber forms and teamwork. Afterwards, I ate dinner with Rey in the kitchens. A few droids that I believe did survive the fire saw us."

He paused and twisted his ring around his finger. "Rey and I got into a dispute over our wedding plans, which the protocol droid in our rooms likely recorded. We then retired and were looking at some images on this datapad before the fire alarm went off."

A droid shuffled forward and inserted something into the droid-access port. It then beamed a holo of the information on the device. Flickers of the image of Ben Solo in Chewbacca's arms projected into view along with a time stamp of its last viewing. It was up just long enough to read the time before the holo dissolved and schematics of explosive devices projected in its place.

Kylo's eyes widened, and he turned his head sharply to Rey, who looked horrified.

The accusations flew throughout the room as the Senators erupted into chaos. The hostility resonated through the Force and stabbed at Kylo's being.

"We've seen enough!"

"Deceiver!"

"Dark Sider!"

"False Jedi!"

He shook his head, struggling to calm himself with turmoil of emotions radiating from the large audience. "No! Why would I submit this if I was guilty? I wouldn't resort to fire that could've killed me, too!" His voice was lost in the clamor, and he felt the Force burst a wire in the droid as he started losing control. The explosive schematics disappeared, and the droid let out a malfunctioning whine.

"Order!" Kilnetel's amplified voice echoed in the room. "I think we must take a vote on the guilt of Kylo Ren."

The holo behind Kylo flickered to display votes of the Senators. He turned to watch the numbers under 'Guilty' quickly begin to climb.

"Wait!"

A shout resonated over the room, and the Senators stopped in surprise at how young the voice sounded. Kylo looked up to the top of the rows of ascending tables to see the small forms of Teela, Jessika, and Sonzy staring around the room. The Padawans looked bewildered as the eyes of the room turned to them, but they scrambled down the stairs.

Teela stood in front of the table, holding her hands out in a gesture of peace. "We apologize for interrupting, but we assumed you would not want to convict an innocent man."

Kilnetel laughed, and the sound grated against Kylo's ears. "Younglings cannot speak at Senate hearings."

"We are not younglings. We are Jedi Padawans, and that grants us the authority to speak in political situations, provided we have permission of our Master." Jessika grinned at Kylo, and he nodded once, sensing a mix of emotions from Poe's daughter. "We have a surveillance holovid from the Academy that we recovered from the wreckage."

Sonzy walked to the large holo projector behind Kylo and pressed an image chip into it. A video blossomed over the audience. Kylo watched the familiar halls of the school, tinted blue from the hologram, and recognized the hall near the guest rooms the Senators had stayed in. A hooded figure, broad with a heavy gait, appeared and pressed something against the wall opposite the rooms. Kylo caught a glimpse of a horn as the figure turned the corner.

The image shifted to the hall near the Padawans' quarters. The figure appeared again and pressed another device against the wall next to the room shared by Jessika and Kaydel. The figure turned to look over a shoulder, and the hood fell to reveal the face of Eeth.

The Zabrak Padawan entered his room. Sonzy pressed a button on the image chip, and the video burred as it skipped over an hour. The image shook and recorded a moment of the explosion before it went dark.

Kylo sat frozen as he stared at the empty space above the holo projector. The room was silent for over a minute until Kilnetel's voice, quiet even through the amplifier said, "Cleared of all charges."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens! Thank you all for your wonderful comments and ideas!


	15. Rain

Slow, thick raindrops splattered against Kylo's face as he swung his lightsaber at the droid. The blade smashed against the shield surrounding the unit, and it let out a squeal as it shuffled away. The droid's feeble attempts to fight back had quickly devolved into sheer avoidance from the purple blade, but it could not go far. Kylo stalked toward it and slashed in a rapid series of movements, relishing the feel of his muscles straining and pulling through the familiar movements.

His hair quickly dampened as the rain grew heavy, and the corner of his mind told him he should take shelter in the new training spaces of the finished portion of the Jedi school. Instead, he continued to spin his lightsaber in all directions, letting his frustration power each blow.

Eventually, the droid flashed a red light and gave three monotone bleeps. Kylo watched it shuffle away to the building, where he knew other droids were charging. He had lost count of the droids he had subjected to his lightsaber, but he took it as a small victory that he had only destroyed two.

The rain thoroughly soaked his dark, sleeveless shirt, and it clung to his body as his sides expanded rapidly. His lungs sucked greedily for the oxygen his muscles demanded. His arm trembled slightly with the onset of fatigue as he clutched his humming lightsaber, but his mind urged him to continue. To do anything to take his mind off Eeth.

"Need a sparring partner, Master?"

Kylo swiped his hand through his hair to push the wet locks from his face to see Sonzy. The rain pelted the Togruta's striped montrals, and the faded white paint that decorated his orange skin wrinkled as he squinted up at Kylo through the rain. His new green lightsaber ignited in his small hand.

He studied the Padawan carefully. For a moment, he thought he could not sense Sonzy's emotions until he realized they aligned with his own feelings of betrayal and fury. He dipped his head once and caught the Padawan's lightsaber with his own as it raced toward his shoulder.

Sonzy allowed their blades to spark against each other. "Should we use practice sabers?"

"I already broke one."

The Togruta grinned, and Kylo twisted his lightsaber. He took a step back and swept his blade at Sonzy's arm. Their sabers struck in a flurry of sparks and hissed in the rain, and Kylo's mind began to focus solely on the Padawan's movements as he looked for ways past his student's defenses.

Sonzy usually favored a conservative approach designed to save energy until his opponent grew weary, which had caused him to beat Jessika on more than one occasion – a feat the female Padawan was still upset about. The unusual aggression in each stroke of Sonzy's blade as they danced around each other in the rain almost threw Kylo off.

His muscles ached with every movement, and he began to regret the hours he had spent tormenting the practice droids. Sonzy's eyes darted over his body, and Kylo knew the Padawan could sense his fatigue. A look of determination crossed Sonzy's orange-skinned face, and he renewed his efforts. The green blade deliberately focused toward Kylo's left shoulder, where the healing burn poked out from under his shirt. Kylo thanked the stars that he stood nearly a foot taller than the Togruta for he had trouble lifting his arm past his shoulder.

He kept his lightsaber low to defend himself and ducked to the side to avoid another strike. Sonzy overextended his arm as his momentum carried him, and Kylo slammed the butt of his hilt against the Padawan's inner elbow. Sonzy's foot slipped on the wet duracrete as he stumbled backwards, and Kylo's free hand shot out to grab the Togruta's arm before he fell.

Both blades deactivated as they panted next to each other. Lightning flashed overhead. Each breath pulled in droplets of water, and a shiver ran down Kylo's back. "We should get back to the Dameron's."

They walked in silence toward Kylo's borrowed airspeeder, and he ran the power sequence as they settled into the two seats. Thunder rumbled in the air as Kylo eased the speeder into the traffic of Coruscant. The rain beat against his face, and he silently cursed Poe for not owning any airspeeders with full covers.

Sonzy shifted in his seat and picked at his wet clothes. He stared at the passing buildings, and Kylo barely caught his words over the rain as he whispered, "Why did he do it?"

"It's not your fault." Kylo turned the speeder around a corner. He knew Sonzy had looked up to Eeth, and the Zabrak had disappeared before anyone had a chance to question him. "It's mine for not seeing it."

Sonzy's head turned sharply to face Kylo. "If it's not my fault, then it's not yours either. He got hurt in the fire; none of us saw it coming." He huffed a breath and fingered his lightsaber. "I can't believe I helped him find his new crystal."

Kylo chewed his lower lip for a moment, a habit he was beginning to fall into since the fire. "I don't believe he was working on his own. Remember the attacker at my wedding?"

"You think Eeth…?"

Kylo slowed the speeder and flicked a switch to engage the landing gear as they approached Poe's house. "We only told those who were there that we were having it early."

The feeling of betrayal washed through the Force from Sonzy, and Kylo sighed as he lowered the speeder into an empty space between one of Poe's collectable TIE fighters and a shuttle that looked battered on the outside.

Their clothing dripped against the floor as they entered the sitting room, and Kylo pushed his wet hair out of his face as he heard a gasp. "Sonzy!"

The three female Padawans surrounded the Togruta. "We didn't know where you went!"

Kaydel smacked Sonzy's shoulder and bumped her lightsaber as her hands went to her hips. "Rey went looking for you."

Kylo froze and glanced out into the rain as he realized he could not sense his wife close. The cloud-covered sky quickly darkened as Coruscant's only sun set, and a disturbance raced through the Force. Unless they were on a tropical planet, Rey hated rain and the chill it gave her. He shivered in his wet clothes as his heart began pounding in his chest. "When did she leave?"

Jessika seemed to sense his rising panic, and she glanced at the chronometer on the wall. "Maybe twenty minutes ago."

He took two steps toward the door but stopped as an all-too-familiar voice rang out in the room. "Ren."

Kylo closed his eyes for a moment and crossed his arms over his chest as he turned to face Kilnetel. The Twi'lek smiled innocently at him from where she stood with Arian in her arms. One of her green head tails draped over her shoulder to contrast with her black outfit. The child gave a soft whimper and squirmed in her hold. He suddenly wished the Senator was a training droid so that he could hack his lightsaber through her.

"Why are you here with him?" He struggled to keep his voice calm as he stalked to Kilnetel.

The Senator allowed him to take Arian, and her hand lingered on his bare arm for longer than appropriate. Kylo shifted uncomfortably in his wet clothes and held Arian close to his chest, determined to keep the child away from the disturbing woman. He felt the Force ease in the air around him as Arian clutched at his wet shirt with small fists.

Poe burst into the room and scowled at the Twi'lek's back as he gave Kylo a hopeless shrug. The pilot held up a communicator and mouthed Rey's name.

"I was visiting the younglings, and Master Skywalker mentioned little Arian missed you." Kilnetel's eyes wandered over Kylo's face. "I offered to take him here."

Kylo had not wanted to strangle someone with his bare hands since Hux had been imprisoned years before. The small Force-sensitive in his arms kept him from lunging at Kilnetel, and the little political training his mother had once given him forced him to keep his voice down, although a dangerous edge crept into it as his eyes focused on Arian. "Tell me, Senator, what world do you represent?"

Kilnetel's large green eyes flashed, and she tugged at the end of her shirt that fit tightly to her slim torso. "Ryloth, in the Outer Rim."

"Forgive me, Senator, for I have never visited your home planet." Kylo kept his expression impassive as he met Kilnetel's gaze evenly. "On Ryloth, do Twi'leks commonly invade the home of a married man?"

The green of the Senator's cheeks lightened, and she tossed her head tail over her shoulder. "On Ryloth, we commonly acknowledge the beauty of our females and appreciate the allure of warriors."

"Should I be offended that you don't appreciate my allure?"

Kylo shifted to hold Arian in one arm, and his free one wrapped around Rey's wet shoulder to pull her close. His wife held her saberstaff loosely in her hand. "I mean, I _am_ better than my husband with a lightsaber."

Kilnetel's eyes lingered on the Jedi's arm around Rey, and Kylo could not sense the Senator's emotions through the Force. "From what I saw last week, you're both well matched."

Jessika stepped next to Kylo and glanced at her father for a moment. "I think my masters mean to ask you to leave." Her fingers traced the cross-guarded hilt at her hip. "I hope you understand that the Jedi Order is dealing with… certain issues right now."

The Senator smiled down at Jessika as if she were a child like Arian. "If your masters wish me to leave, they should not have a youngling speak for them."

Poe stepped forward at this and flashed a charming smile. "It is late, Senator Kilnetel. I do ask that you do not get lost on your way back home in this rain."

The woman appraised Poe for a moment. "Good night, General Dameron. Master Ren." She swept out into the rain with a last look at Kylo.

Rey shivered next to Kylo, and Jessika took Arian from him as he wrapped both arms around his wife. He kissed her forehead lightly as he tried to allow his heat to help Rey.

Poe cleared his throat behind Kylo. "As adorable as you two are, would you stop dripping on my floor?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Twi'lek Senator is just a smidge creepy, yes? Thank you all for your comments of support!


	16. Fuss

The sounds of crying jerked Rey from sleep. For a brief moment, she thought Kylo had broken down again before she realized that her husband was incapable of producing the high pitch that rattled her ears. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and pulled herself up. The sheets on Kylo's side of the bed had been pulled up, and the extra blanket that he occasionally used lay crumpled around her waist as if he had lain it over her shoulder.

A glance at the chronometer told her that she had slept well into the morning. Kylo had planned to meet with Luke early so that they could follow some information concerning Eeth's disappearance. She had volunteered to stay to watch the Padawans and make sure Kilnetel would not touch Arian again. She guessed that she was more stressed and worn out than she realized if she had not woken at her usual early time.

The child's sharp cry rang in the air again, and Rey dragged herself out of bed to pad over to the white hovering crib. Arian wailed up at her, and she could sense the intense waves of disturbances in the Force. Ever since the Twi'lek Senator had held him, Arian started causing disturbances in demand for Kylo again.

She picked the baby up and held him close to her chest, rocking him gently in her arms. She tried making smoothing sounds with her mouth as Kylo occasionally did, but Arian only cried harder. She ran her fingers through the child's hair. "I know, sweet little boy. I want Kylo, too."

Arian hiccuped softly against her and resumed crying. Rey ran her hand slowly over his small back. "Kylo's not around. You'll have to settle for me, huh? He trusts me. You trust me."

The cries settled down, and Rey grinned at the small being. "Yeah. You know me. I'm not that nasty Twi'lek who thinks she can just drool over him." She scowled at the wall as she continued to bounce Arian lightly. "That stupid green skin of hers is ruining my favorite color. Stars, Senators should be respectful of marriage customs, no matter what her idiotic species thinks of 'alluring warriors.' What kind of bantha fodder is that? And Kylo can't accuse her of anything or the Senate will think he's trying to get rid of Senators. But she can't take a kriffing _hint_!"

The chronometer next to the bed burst, and Rey jumped at the sound. Arian let another wail and squirmed in her arms, and she could not tell which of them was more upset. "Which one of us did that, Arian? Both of us? That was very Kylo-like of us."

The empty glass of water next to her side of the bed lifted into the air and began dropping to the floor. Rey barely held out her hand fast enough, and the glass clinked against the floor as she stopped it from breaking.

Glancing back down at the child in her arms, she smoothed his dark hair down. A mother in some holovid she and Kylo had watched sung a tune to an upset Togruta baby, but she could not remember the melody nor did she have any memories of anyone singing in her childhood. She wondered if her husband knew any from Leia. She reached out with the Force and tried to pull as much of Kylo's balanced power as she could to soothe Arian, glad that the gray Jedi was still on the planet so that she could rely on their bond.

The small head rested against her shoulder, and she smiled softly as she let out a slow sigh of relief. "Let's see if Poe has something for us to eat."

She rubbed her thumb gently against Arian's back as she padded out of the bedroom and down the hall. She passed the sitting room, and the folded blankets caught her eye. She and Kylo had suspected that the Padawans had wanted to sleep together rather than separated into the other guest room. Relief flooded her chest at the thought that the future Jedi were staying close to support each other, especially Sonzy and Teela, who had both known Eeth well.

Arian wiggled in her arms, and Rey snapped out of her thoughts to walk through the open archway that opened into the kitchen.

"Morning, Rey!" Kaydel's small hand waved at her from the table. Empty plates stacked on one corner of the table, and several datapads were strewn among the four Padawans.

Jessika thwacked her hand against Kaydel's shoulder. "She's Master Solo."

Rey snorted softly and took a free chair, letting Arian sit in her lap. She had no preference as to what the Padawans called her, but she had to admit hearing her new last name sounded nice to her ears. Kylo felt he did not deserve his given name, but they had agreed she could honor Han by continuing his name.

"Aaand breakfast for Rey." A dark hand appeared in her vision and set a plate full of gartro eggs and breakfast fruits. Finn dropped into the last open chair next to her and flashed a blinding smile down at the child as he set a small jar on the table. "And some for Arian."

Rey felt her mouth spread into a wide grin as her friend untwisted the jar's lid and dipped a spoon into it. "You're not at the program today?"

She bit into the fruit and studied Finn's close-cropped hair. "No. Poe had flight drills to run, and we decided one of us should stay here in case that Twi'lek comes along again. No offense to you or Ren, but the Senate would believe us over you if she tried anything." Arian twisted away from the man and bumped Rey's stomach several times in jerky movements. "He's still fussy without Ren?"

Rey nodded as she stuffed some of the eggs in her mouth and took the spoon from Finn. She ran her hand lightly against Arian's back and coaxed the food into his mouth. "You think she'd try something other than blatantly staring?"

Finn glanced at the Padawans. They each held a datapad in front of them, and Teela laughed at Kaydel as she glared at Sonzy, who had evidently rumpled her thin blonde hair. The former Stormtrooper lowered his voice as he looked back to Rey. "Poe's concerned she'll somehow wedge closer to Ren. She could accuse him of assaulting her or even trying to rape her if she gets far enough."

Kylo would not like needing to have someone who could vouch for him around every day, but Rey knew Finn and Poe's concerns were valid. The Senate would convict Kylo in a heartbeat if one of their own claimed he had attacked. Kilnetel could back Kylo into an inescapable corner.

Arian's arms jerked and smacked into the jar of food. Finn jumped as some spilled over the table edge and onto his shirt. Rey straightened the bottle and finished off the fruit as Finn stood to clean off the stain.

She glanced over at the Padawans as she tried to get Arian to eat another spoonful. "What are you lot doing? I thought Master Ren wanted you to work on flight simulations."

Sonzy shrugged and drummed his fingers against the table. "We did some last night. We thought we'd look into some stuff since Poe has all these datapads."

Rey raised an eyebrow and pulled one of the datapads toward her with the Force. She tapped the screen and swiped her finger over the display. "Stuff like the Twi'lek Senators?" She found the data history on the pad and frowned as a picture of a beaten mask with silver around the eye slits appeared. She had not seen the ominous helmet in years. "And Kylo's history?"

"We wanted to see what information there was about how Master Ren entered the Dark Side." Jessika's voice was timid as she avoided Rey's gaze. "There's not much about him in the databases before he was part of the First Order."

Arian giggled in Rey's lap, and she looked down to see the spilled food all over his small arms and mouth. He slapped the food with his hand several times and splattered some over Rey. "Arian!"

She picked up the child and set him on the space next to the sink. Finn wet a small towel and began cleaning off the table and floor as Rey began wiping Arian clean. "You know Kylo is very private. He's even more so when it comes to his turn to the Dark." She glanced back at the Padawans and sighed softly. "We're not sure if Eeth is moving to the Dark, or if he's just being used. But you four should focus on your training."

Teela crossed her deep green arms over her chest. "With all due respect, Eeth was one of us. We want to know why he nearly killed us and tried to frame Master Ren."

Sonzy's usually compassionate voice was hard as he added, "We need to make sure none of us fall into whatever trap he did."

Rey turned back to cleaning Arian and smiled to herself, thankful for the loyalty of the Padawans. They could not have a better group ready to inherit the positions of peace keepers.

Finn spoke up as he rinsed his dirty towel. "Strategically, getting Ren away from the Jedi is the quickest way to unravel the entire Order. He's got the most experience regarding galaxy affairs due to Luke's long absence, he's in charge of most of the upper-level training, and he has substantial powers in the Force." He hung the towel on the edge of the sink and looked back to the kitchen full of Jedi. He stared out of the window to watch the Coruscant traffic as he continued to muse almost to himself. "No one would dare accuse Luke of anything, and Rey is too well-liked. You two would be spread too thin between teaching the younglings, training Padawans, and trying to maintain a semblance of peace in the galaxy. Locking up Ren would have been easy had you four not conducted your own investigation, and he's proven himself too hard to kill."

Rey sometimes forgot how much Finn's Stormtrooper training influenced his thoughts as she stared at him. She had assumed people were just trying to get rid of Kylo and did not care how many others fell with him, but her friend had a point. The Padawans glanced at each other in silence as they took in Finn's words.

Arian let out a squeal, and Rey heard heavy footsteps precede Kylo's appearance in the archway of the kitchen. The child nearly fell off the counter as he held his tiny hands out for the gray Jedi. She pushed him into Kylo's arms. Her husband took the child with a tired blink of surprise, and Arian curled up against his chest.

Rey smiled at the sight and pressed a light kiss to the side of Kylo's face. "Did you and Luke find anything?"

He let out a long sigh and sank into the chair Rey had vacated. "We found that a ship that carries supplies from Geonosis makes a detour to a storage house before it leaves Coruscant. Most of it was empty by the time we arrived, but there were some boxes of the same explosives Eeth planted." Kylo's free fingers raked through his hair. "I'll have to mediate to see if I can find his Force signature."

Rey leaned against the table and rubbed her hand gently over Kylo's shoulder. He rarely could calm down long enough to mediate on the Force effectively, and she could sense he was becoming increasingly agitated with Kilnetel's persistently unwelcome attention.

He smiled down at Arian, and Rey frowned at how peaceful the child had become in the short time with Kylo. No matter how much she loved that Arian trusted her husband, she could not help but feel a flare of competitive spirit at seeing something Kylo was better at. "He's been good for me all morning."

Kylo's lips spread into a slow grin, and he flicked her shirt with a finger. "Oh? And you just wanted to accent your clothes with baby food, then?"

Rey's face burned in embarrassment as Finn's laughter roared over the Padawans'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all are just the best. Loosely based on a prompt from an anon on tumblr. Let me know what you think! Thank you so much for reading!


	17. Nightmare

Small hands laced through the thick fur and clutched tightly to it as the Wookie rumbled a laugh. He looked down at the floor and felt his head spin at how high off the ground he was. The hands held on tighter as he shut his eyes tightly.

"Chewie, I think he's scared of the height," his mother's soothing voice sounded behind him.

He shook his head, and his dark curls fell into his eyes. "I'm not scared!" He glared at Leia but quickly had to close his eyes again.

"Nah, you aren't scared, are you, bud? Ben just wants to play with his blaster." He nodded vigorously, and Han took him from Chewie's arms.

His feet touched the floor, and he ran across the _Millennium Falcon,_ his three-year-old legs pumping furiously across the moaned something to Han as Ben grabbed his toy blaster. He pressed a finger against the trigger but paused as the familiar painful pressure converge on his head. He nearly dropped the blaster as he squeezed his eyes shut.

_Ben Solo…_

"Ben? Honey?" Leia knelt next to him and wrapped her arms around his small body. He gripped her white shirt and felt a tear slide down his face against his will.

The pain returned almost daily as Ben turned five. Han and Leia's raised voices floated through the shut door. He curled up in his bed as his head pounded, hugging the stuffed Ewok to his chest.

_I can help you._

The shouting grew louder, and Ben caught snatches of "the Force isn't helping him! He can't make friends like normal kids!"

_They don't understand what it's like to be special. To have your abilities. Only I do._

He stared at his reflection in the mirror. His face had lost the chubbiness of childhood prematurely, and his dark hair framed his pale features. Han had left again, and Leia trusted her ten-year-old to stay by himself in their apartment she attended to some matter of state.

_They don't care. They think you a monster. Why else would they leave?_

He could acutely feel Han's disappointment every time he displayed any of his Force abilities. Even his mother was wary of how he could lift fully grown adults or easily read the emotions of others. His eyes fell on the holographic trophy for junior marksman. An event in which he had beaten boys several years his senior. An event in which Han had been absent.

_Perhaps you're not as special as I thought. A pity. I thought we could grow together._

Ben shook his head and raised the cooking knife he had taken from the kitchen. The blade sliced through the top of his hand, and he numbly watched the line of blood drip down his skin.

"Ben!"

Leia's scream spread throughout the open space in front of the base. Kylo Ren turned to see his mother on the ground, a blaster hole smoking from her chest.

Hux's lips curled into a sneer. "So good of you to lead us straight to the Resistance." He shot twice more without a glance at Leia, and a roar ripped from Kylo's lips. He was on top of the general in an instant, his saber raised to kill when suddenly it was Rey underneath his weight. He faltered, and Rey bared her teeth in an uncharacteristic snarl and pressed the blaster pistol against his hip.

He fell back against the ground, sticky blood pouring from the wound that he oddly could not feel. A green Twi'lek grinned over him, her eyes sparkling with lust. Her knee pressed into the wound as she straddled his waist. "I always get what I want." He could not lift his arms, could not move a muscle, and her lips neared his.

Kylo started from his sleep, his heart hammering in his chest. His fingers curled around the sheets beneath him, and he shut his eyes as he tried to control his breathing. His head pounded, and he pulled on the Force to reassure himself that Snoke's presence was indeed gone for good.

"Kylo…" Rey's voice sounded groggy next to him. Her hand drifted lightly over his back, and she pulled one of her blankets over his shivering body. They lay in silence for several moments, and Kylo dug his nails into his palm. The sharp sting of pain convinced him that Rey was not a dream. He had a wife, four young Force-sensitives were loyal to him and the Jedi Order, and he no longer served a dark master – if he did not count the Senate.

The nightmares had gotten so intense in the past week that they had needed to move Arian out of their room. The child picked up on Kylo's distress, and because he did not know the terror came from the dreams of another person, none of them got much sleep.

His hand slipped down to press against the rounded scar on his left hip. It was old now, but he distinctly remembered Hux shooting him. The First Order general would have died if Kylo had a functioning lightsaber at the time. "They're getting worse…"

"I… I dreamt you almost killed me," Rey whispered softly. Her hand stopped running over his back. "I shot you…"

Kylo turned to face his wife and slowly ran his fingers through her loose hair. "That day she died…" He swallowed past a lump forming in his throat. "Hux turned into you…"

His heart still thudded loudly in his chest, and he took a slow breath that shuddered, much to his dislike. He tipped his head to glance at the new chronometer next to the bed. "Go back to sleep. I'll be fine."

Rey sat up slowly and brushed her hair away from her face. "You won't sleep. I doubt I will either." She took his hand as he moved to sit up next to her. "Tell me about it?"

Kylo shrugged, feeling the tension in his shoulders and back as he gripped Rey's hand tightly. "It was what I usually dream, except it continued to that day… and then Kilnetel…"

Rey's hand tightened around his at the mention of the Senator, and she ran her thumb lightly over the scar running across his skin. "She… tried something?"

Kylo's free hand dragged through his hair, and he realized just how much he had moved in his sleep as his fingers caught in tangles. "I would never allow that to happen, Rey."

She snorted softly and pressed a soft kiss to his jaw. "You're far too smitten with me to play along with a creepy Twi'lek who can't keep her eyes to herself."

His lips pulled into a smile, and he turned to kiss Rey gently. She let go of his hand and slowly brought it up to the base of his neck. Her fingers kneaded gently into his muscles, and Kylo rested his forehead against hers. "You know me so well."

"Poe tried subtly hinting that you're terrifying when she came here with Arian," Rey laughed softly before her expression turned serious. "I think that backfired a little."

Kylo raised an eyebrow slowly as he felt Rey's fingers slide to his left shoulder. "Should I get a replica of my old mask?"

"Oh, I think you need to get your full Knight of Ren outfit." She shifted to use both of her hands on his shoulders. "We could both get masks and scare the green out of her."

He felt the tension slowly begin to dissolve as he gave a low laugh. How his wife managed to stay so positive and hopeful most of the time, he never knew. He could never do enough to fully deserve her.

They fell into a comfortable silence as Rey's fingers massaged down his back. Her hands hesitated as they reached the lace of scars running chaotically across his lower back. Kylo felt his muscles tense again in self-consciousness as her fingertips traced one that crossed down from his right side to his left hip.

Although their bond allowed them to share thoughts and images, Kylo carefully kept most of the memories of his injuries away from Rey. He did not need to trouble her with the life he had led before they met. He could feel her unspoken question, however, as his wife's hands worked over the scarred skin. "Snoke... When he noticed I had a moment's thought of defecting, he decided mental pain was too temporary."

If the room had not been quiet, Kylo would have missed the soft growl that came from Rey's throat. "He's gone now." Her arms wrapped around his middle from behind, and he felt her head rest against his upper back. "We should go away together for a few days. We haven't had our honeymoon."

Kylo's hand ran through his hair of its own accord. "I don't think we should leave the Padawans yet."

Rey kissed the base of his neck and moved to lean back against the headboard. "You're far too serious sometimes. Relaxing might minimize the nightmares. And so that you can finally mediate to find Eeth."

He looked back at her, sensing mixed emotions from his wife, and he realized Rey was shaken by her own dream of shooting him. He untangled himself from the covers and slipped on a loose shirt.

Rey crossed her arms over her chest. "And where do you think you're going at two in the morning?"

" _We_ are going to the kitchen." Kylo took her hand, and Rey gave a soft laugh as he pulled her to her feet.

"I haven't eaten this early in the morning since I kept strange hours on Jakku," she whispered as they made their way down the hall. They passed the open sitting room, and Kylo caught a glimpse of two figures curled up on two separate couches. Crumpled blankets lay sprawled over the floor.

They found the other two Padawans as Kylo ducked his head to pass through the archway leading into the kitchen. Two glasses of blue milk rested in front of Jessika and Sonzy, and they looked up in surprise as they entered.

Kylo nodded to the two and addressed Jessika as Rey took a seat next to her. "Does Poe have any chav mix?"

Jessika snorted softly and stood to rummage through a cabinet. "'Does Poe have any chav mix.' He's addicted to the stuff." She pulled out two mugs and pressed the button on a water heater before she took two packets out of a drawer. "But what he doesn't know is that it's better with cinnamon." The Padawan set a small bottle of the spice on the counter before returning to her seat.

Sonzy took a sip of the milk and licked away a line of blue it left on his dark orange lips as Kylo poured the hot water into the mugs. "Couldn't sleep either, Masters?"

Kylo dumped the powder mix into the mugs and set one in front of Rey before he sat down next to her. He flicked his hand to stir the water with the Force and let the sweet taste linger in his mouth for a moment before he swallowed. "Are you two having nightmares?"

Jessika and Sonzy glanced at each other, and Kylo sensed their surprise through the Force. He felt a small pang in his chest that the two Padawans were experiencing something he had gone through most of his life. "How did you know?"

He wrapped his hands around the mug and let the head leech into his skin. "The Force is unbalanced." Rey took a sip of the chav and made a small sound of enjoyment. Kylo inwardly smiled that she liked the drink his mother had once made for him. "I think it's trying to tell us something, but I've only been dreaming of the past, not the future."

Sonzy slid his glass between his hands for a long moment. "I've been seeing Eeth, but it's only briefly. I'm not sure what it means."

"I've been seeing that Senator," Jessika murmured as she stared at her milk. "Kill-needle?"

The Togruta Padawan let out a loud laugh at her blatantly intentional mispronunciation of the Twi'lek's name and slapped his hand over his mouth as he glanced at the hall leading to the sitting room.

Luke had originally only asked Kylo to teach lightsaber combat, but with the chaos of the fire and with his uncle busy dealing with the Senate and the younglings, he knew had inadvertently taken on more than lightsaber training for the Padawans. He realized he had neglected to show them more of the power of the Force.

He took another sip of the chav and felt the warmth of the drink spread slowly down his limbs. "I think a mediation session is due tomorrow."

Sonzy nodded, his eyes glimmering in excitement at learning more about the Force. Jessika, however, groaned and nearly knocked over her glass. "Mediation? Can't we just go and 'subtly' display the powers of the Force?"

Rey's mouth spread into a grin, and Kylo felt his own lips twitch at the sight of her smile. "As great of an idea that is, I don't think any Senator would take well to that. Except maybe Kylo's new political friends."

Sonzy drained the last of his milk and bumped Jessika's shoulder lightheartedly. "I bet I'll be better at mediation than you."

"No way! You're already beating me with sabers!" Jessika finished her own milk. "Just you wait, Sonzy."

Kylo stifled a yawn and checked the chronometer on the wall. "Mediation isn't exactly a competition." He gave a soft chuckle at the expressions on the Padawans' faces. "You two should get some rest."

Jessika and Sonzy put their glasses in the sink and shuffled off to the sitting room, whispering quiet challenges between each other.

Rey looped her arm through Kylo's as they left. She took a long drink from her mug and grinned up at him. "You know, you owe me a massage sometime."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based off of a few prompts from Tripping55! Apologies if the dream sequence was a bit confusing, but, well, dreams make no sense sometimes. Thank you all for your support!


	18. Penitentiary

Kylo allowed the cool wind to whip at his face as he stared at the grey structure. It was small and box-like but nevertheless shed an imposing presence upon the empty landscape. A glance at the pristine permacrete under his boots told him that even duracrete slugs avoided the building. He harbored only negative memories of the place, for he had been held there for a time after Snoke's defeat while the newly formed Senate discussed his trial and punishment for his war crimes.

"I've always hated this place," Poe grumbled as he jumped out of the Starfighter. The ship lowered BB-8 to the ground, and the droid rolled up to Poe's legs, whirring rapidly to the pilot. "Yeah, buddy, I find underground prisons creepy, too."

They started toward the building, and BB-8 jerked several times on the orange and white spherical body. Poe knelt next to the droid, and Kylo sensed the pilot's sympathy through the Force. "Why don't you stay with the ship? You can alert my communicator if we've been in there for over an hour."

The BB unit gave an enthusiastic blip of agreement and rolled back over the permacrete to the Starfighter. Poe watched his droid for a moment before they continued across the landing area to the building. "You sure this was a good idea?"

Kylo let out a slow sigh and brushed his gloved fingers over his lightsaber hilt. "It's the only thing I can think to do, especially with the attack on the shuttle Rey and I were supposed to take to Naboo."

Poe winced, and Kylo assumed he was remembering the news feeds showing the destruction of the shuttle just moments before it left the Coruscant atmosphere. The pilot averted his gaze to look up at the imposing structure of the prison. "And you can't find Eeth with your Force mojo?"

Kylo rolled his eyes but shook his head, vaguely wondering how he and Poe had fallen into their strange friendship. "No, Dameron, he's too far for my 'Force mojo' to detect. We're hoping to mediate with Luke soon, but he's been busy with the Senate and younglings."

Four guards stood outside the only gate into the building as they approached, and the figures of two Twi'leks waited next to them. Poe clapped a hand on the blue-skinned Senator's shoulder. "Tomsega! Fancy meeting you here."

The Twi'lek nodded cordially and allowed Poe's hand to remain on his shoulder, although he did not return the favor. "General Dameron. Master Ren."

Kylo distantly heard Tomsega explain something about the Senate wishing for representatives to monitor their visit, but his stomach twisted as Kilnetel's penetrating gaze swept over him. The green Twi'lek flashed a smile that likely would have made most men crumble into her palm, but it only sent a shiver of unease down Kylo's spine. He suddenly wished his wife had accompanied them.

He cursed his luck that even with a friendly Senator, the worst one had also come along. Kylo could deal with accusing Senators, but he had absolutely no experience staving off the attentions of, well, anyone. His hand jumped up to run through his hair, and he had the strong desire to find his old mask. At least his cloak concealed most of his body from the Senator's wandering eyes.

"Ren? C'mon." Poe tapped him lightly on the shoulder, and Kylo was glad the pilot had the good sense not to grab his arm like he frequently did with Finn as the heavy gates slid slowly to the side.

Their group entered into a small chamber lined with guards carrying long-barreled blasters. An Abednedo in a crisp black uniform greeted them in front of a large sensor. "Welcome to the Agamar Penitentiary. We ask that you submit all weapons here. They will be returned to you upon your departure."

Kylo hesitated for a moment before he slowly pulled his lightsaber from his belt and set it next to Poe's small blaster pistol. He began to follow the pilot through the sensor when the Abednedo grabbed his shoulder. He instinctively stepped away and tried to force his momentary panic down, suddenly noticing an unusual ripple in the Force. "Your cloak, Master Jedi. If you would also leave it here."

Dismissing the strange feeling in the Force as nerves from his previous imprisonment, he unclasped the material from around his shoulders and dropped the heavy cloak into the man's arms. The scanner hummed around him as he passed through it and joined the two Twi'leks and Poe. He kept his gaze pointedly away from Kilnetal as he felt her eyes on his black-clad form.

"This way." The Abednedo's voice was curt, and Kylo watched his straight back as they entered a turbolift. Poe smoothly slipped beside him, and Tomsega almost awkwardly tripped into the lift to stand in front of Kylo. Kilnetel's deep green lips tightened as she was forced to stand at the opposite side of the lift.

The turbolift dropped down rapidly, and Kylo caught Poe's eye, giving a subtle nod in thanks. He forced back the rising feeling of dread as the door reopened to reveal a bright, artificially lit hall that looked too familiar. The prison contained nearly thirty floors of holding cells and interrogation rooms, but they each looked identical with white walls and black doors to confuse any prisoner that tried to escape.

The Abednedo strode down the corridor with even steps. "The good Senators may watch in a viewing room." He stopped in front of a heavy black door and turned sharply to face the four. "General Dameron and Master Ren may enter."

He pressed a pale hand against the door, and it flashed green for moment before it slid silently to the side. Kylo stepped into the room behind Poe, feeling Kilnetel's eyes on his back as the door clicked shut behind them.

Three guards, a Togruta female and two human males, stood in the back of the room, holding long blasters in their hands. Blaster pistols hung in holsters around their right thighs, and stun sticks rested at their belts. A simple table rested in the middle of the room with two chairs on the side nearest the door. On the other side sat a thin man with distinct fiery red hair.

Hux's pale lips slipped into a smirk. "Ren. It's been a while. Betray anyone lately? You're about due."

Kylo felt the familiar anger flare in his chest, and he struggled to pull out the chair calmly to sit before the man. He could not allow Hux to see his words could still elicit a reaction. "Tell us what you know of the First Order's movements, and I won't dig it out of your mind."

Rey would likely not approve of his instant threat, but she did not know Hux like he did. They had too much history together for Kylo to believe the former general would give any information willingly.

"You know, I really should thank you, Ren." Hux set his clasped hands in front of him, and the glowing cuffs around his wrists clinked against the table. His brown eyes looked far too amused. "You advocated to give me this humble little abode." He gestured to his prison uniform with a small flick of his fingers. "You do know how much I _love_ white."

Kylo leaned forward to mirror Hux's posture and held up his right palm from where it rested against the table. "Now, Hux. I refuse to believe you didn't leave contingency plans for the Order."

The redhead did not look at all concerned, much to Kylo's fury. "Temper, Ren. Not much has changed, has it?" He flicked a long finger against Kylo's glove. "Not much at all. Tell me, where is your little desert rat, hm? Have you told her all about the Supreme Leader? I would gladly tell _her_ all my secrets, including yours."

The Force ripped into Hux's mind before Kylo even realized he had commanded it. He caught a glimpse of Rey swinging her saberstaff before he was forced out. He shut his eyes in concentration as he fought against Hux's resistance. An image of himself bleeding in the snow flicked past.

Hux's voice was strained as he gasped out, "Shame you were never strong enough."

They grappled mentally for what felt like ages, and Kylo wondered how Hux had learned to resist Force invasions so well. Snoke had not wanted his trusted generals to be able to hide anything from him. A flash of someone in a holo message appeared and was quickly replaced by Rey in a restraining table.

"If you weren't so weak, the Supreme Leader would've had you put that saber through her pretty neck," Hux growled almost inaudibly.

Kylo's fury exploded within himself, and he heard Hux's yell as a hand gripped his shoulder. "Ren!"

He turned his head sharply and slowly returned to the sanctuary of his own mind. Poe stared at him with wide eyes. He looked back to see Hux rubbing his wrists slowly. The former general's eyes flicked up to a corner where a surveillance cam rested. "Thank you."

The Togruta female jumped at Hux, and he dropped to the floor under her weight. The other two guards hesitated as they took in the scene, and one raised his blaster. His fire hit the Togruta square in the back, and the other turned his shots to Kylo and Poe.

Kylo nearly forgot to use the Force in his shock, and he narrowly stopped the bolts from smashing against himself and Poe. He shoved the table forward, and it toppled over the injured Togruta and one of the men. Hux snatched the blaster pistol from the woman and sprinted to the opening door.

The remaining guard began firing rapidly at Poe, forcing Kylo to stop the bolts mid-air to defend his friend. Poe crawled along the floor, apparently trusting Kylo to keep the fire from hitting him, and wrapped his arms around the man's legs. The guard fell to the floor, and Poe shoved the stun stick against the man's stomach. "Go, Ren!"

Kylo spun on his feet and raced through the door, feeling out with the Force for Hux's location. He had not sensed his signature in the Force for years, but it still felt familiar from his years with the First Order as he ran to the turbolift. He could hear the box lifting within the shaft of the first lift, and he slammed the button repeatedly to call the second.

"Master Ren!"

He did not need to turn to know the voice belonged to Kilnetel. He watched the reflections of the two Senators in the durasteel of the turbolift door and immediately scrambled into the lift as they opened too slowly. The Twi'leks clambered inside, their heavy breaths from their run filling the small space.

"What in the stars happened?" Tomsega frowned at Kylo from where he leaned against the wall.

Kylo stared at his hands for a moment. "I… don't remember forcing those cuffs open. It's the last thing I wanted…"

"I'm sure Ren didn't mean to free the prisoner, right?" Kilnetel's hand rested on his shoulder, and she moved so that her arm rested across his back.

He could not repress the scowl that twisted his mouth, and the Senator smiled prettily up at him. His thoughts were too distracted with finding Hux that he did not realize the female Senator's emotions were not broadcasted through the Force like Tomsega's confusion and growing distrust.

The turbolift's doors opened, and Kylo caught a glimpse of Hux's red hair disappear through the gates. Guards lay on the floor with blaster wounds as he sprinted through the smoking scanner. He held out his palm to the side, and his fingers closed around his lightsaber as he raced outside.

Four prison guards flanked Hux and began firing at Kylo to allow the redhead cover to run toward a black shuttle. His purple blade sprang to life in his hands to deflect the blaster fire. Kylo barely caught the sight of Rey's sheathed saberstaff smash against the side of the general's head before he could climb the ramp.

Kylo shoved the four traitorous guards back onto the ground with the Force and pushed away their blasters. He stepped over one guard and somewhat accidentally kicked the man's side.

Rey held one of her short blue blades at Hux's throat as she grinned broadly at him. "You can't go anywhere without me, I see."

Kylo glanced down at Hux, who looked dazed as blood dripped down from his forehead. "Not to sound ungrateful, but why the stars are you here?"

Two Zabrak guards approached and clamped new cuffs around Hux's wrists. Rey deactivated her saber and slung it across her back. "The Padawans and I all felt something… strange with the Force after you and Poe left." She tipped her head toward one of Poe's old TIE fighters. "I decided to come in case you needed help."

He ignored the feeling of Kilnetel's eyes on him as he wrapped an arm around Rey's waist and kissed her for a long moment. "I think I need to master your impeccable timing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it always ends in a kiss. Thank you all for your kind words!


	19. Lullaby

"You're punching too much energy, which exhausts the engines. Try pulling the fuel lever more slowly next time."

Rey smiled down at Jessika in what she hoped was a reassuring way. The Padawan let out a slow sigh and nodded, tapping the lightsaber at her hip in irritation as her eyes focused on the video of Kaydel in the flight simulator. The blonde eased through the projected assailants and hit the correct buttons and switches without hesitation. While Rey and Kylo could both pilot with exceptional skill, she had never seen such natural talent besides Poe.

She did not need the Force to sense Jessika's frustration. Flying did not come as naturally to her. As the adopted daughter of the Republic's best pilot, Jessika struggled with the fact another Padawan was better than she was. Rey did not know what to tell her to encourage her; she had never had anyone tell her she was good at anything until Luke began training her. The only person she was really good at comforting was Kylo, and their bond played a large part in that particular skill.

Rey sighed softly and squeezed Jessika's shoulder briefly. "Why don't you join Teela on her break? Master Ren should be back soon."

Jessika dipped her head in acknowledgement and cast a thinly veiled scowl back at the image of Kaydel's simulation before she left the room. Rey pressed her lips together and kept her eyes on Kaydel's image without registering what was happening. She hated to admit she needed help, but Kylo knew his Padawans better than she. The grey Jedi would likely figure out how to smooth Jessika's anger.

A tug in the Force altered Rey to her husband's presence a moment before she heard his knock. He leaned against the doorframe and gave a tired smile that barely concealed the strain she could sense in his emotions. "Flight sims going all right?"

"Jessika's annoyed that she's not doing as well as Kaydel." Rey studied Kylo's face and watched his hand run through his dark locks. The anxious habit confirmed the nervous energy running through their bond. "Why don't we get something to eat and talk?"

She slipped her hand around Kylo's gloved one and felt his fingers tighten around hers. They entered the kitchen, and Rey heard a loud thunk as Kylo's head smacked into the low archway.

"Watch where you're going, Ren."

Poe flashed a grin at Finn's words from where they stood next to the sink and added, "You'd think you'd be more aware of low things when you're that tall."

Kylo grumbled something that sounded vaguely like a Wookiee curse word and pressed his free hand to his forehead. Rey rubbed her thumb over the top of his hand as he took a seat across from Jessika and Teela. The Mirialan pushed over a small bowl of sweets, and Rey bit off half of one before asking, "How'd the meeting with Luke go?"

Her husband did not answer immediately, and Poe plopped down next to Rey. "We checked out a holovid of Agamar's security footage." He paused uncharacteristically as he glanced at Kylo. "There really isn't much to go on. One moment Hux is taunting him, and the next thing you see is the cuffs opening. We slowed it down to see if Ren made a gesture or anything to open them, but he doesn't."

Rey chewed the inside of her lip. Kylo's anger sometimes caused him to inadvertently break things without the need for a gesture to channel his powers. "The inquiry hearing isn't to directly accuse Kylo of doing anything, though, right?"

Poe let out a slow breath. "They don't have to be accusing him to be able to at least imprison him until a formal trial."

The room went quiet, and the two Padawans exchanged a look with each other. Their concern and fear radiated through the Force, and Rey knew they wanted to investigate like they had with the fire.

"I didn't see any security vids," Finn began slowly as he chose his words carefully, "but usually when Ren's upset, he breaks something even without the lightsaber. He doesn't open doors, or cuffs for that matter."

Kylo's head jerked up to look at the former Stormtrooper, and Rey sensed a sudden shift in his emotions. His gaze focused on nothing in particular for a long moment until his eyes moved to the Padawans. "Tell me what you sense when I open the door as compared to Rey."

His hand twitched to the side, and the small glass door leading to the outside slid open. Once it closed, Rey willed it to open with a push of her own hand. Kylo raised a dark eyebrow expectantly at the Padawans. Jessika frowned, her amber eyes darting between him and Rey. "I… sensed the Force..." She trailed off for a long moment before her eyes brightened. "You have different Force signatures, although it's hard to tell you apart."

Teela's expression darkened. "There was another Force sensitive at Agamar Penitentiary. One of the traitor guards?"

Kylo's hand curled into a fist as he nodded. "I wrote it off as apprehension at talking with Hux, but I think I was sensing someone else."

Finn crunched a sweet with his teeth and chewed as he grumbled, "I wouldn't be surprised if that green flirt was Force sensitive."

Rey felt the hairs on her arms and neck rise, and she exchanged a long look with Kylo.

"It makes sense…" The grey Jedi mumbled more to himself than Rey. "I can't sense her emotions…"

Her own anger flared hotter than Kylo's usual ire, and her fist slammed against the table. "That _kriffing_ bag of slime!"

Finn's calm voice only served to annoy her further. "But how can that be proved? She's obviously kept it well hidden."

"I don't think she's terribly strong in the Force," Jessika whispered softly. "All of us are like beacons in the Force, but she's barely higher than an average being."

Kylo's hand slid through his hair. "That just makes it harder to prove, especially since the Senate doesn't exactly trust Force users at word. They're even wary of Luke."

Jessika shook her head, and a grin slow spread across her face. "No, but if she did open the cuffs – and I'm sure she did – then she would have had to make some sort of movement to do it, right? Even you need to do something to make a controlled manipulation."

Rey could barely think past her anger toward Kilnetel, but for once, Kylo's surprising calm rushed to her in waves as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His grin mirrored Jessika's as he picked up a sweet with his free hand. "And the movement would have been caught on the surveillance of the room she was watching in."

Rey could sense Kylo's lifting spirits, and she felt her anger begin to fizzle out. "The hearing is the day after tomorrow, so we can get the vid tomorrow."

Her husband nodded and pressed a brief kiss to the top her head as he stood. "I'll go message Luke."

Rey popped another sweet in her mouth and let herself savor the sugary taste. She smiled at the Padawans and the two men as relief settled in her stomach. "So we can clear Kylo and get rid of that witch in one fell swoop."

Poe slapped Jessika on the back and gazed at her with a proud expression. "Nice work thinking of the other surveillance vids, Jess."

The Padawan's face reddened slightly in embarrassment of the praise, and she fiddled with a sweet in her fingers as she gave a brief nod. "Thanks."

Rey felt a yawn bubble in her throat, and she fought to stifle it. "Kylo will probably want to leave early tomorrow morning for those vids, which means he'll want to have two of you on flight sims and the other two practicing mediation."

Teela gave a soft smile and nodded in agreement. "We'll go to bed, then, Master Solo." She gave Jessika a pointed look at the younger Padawan began to protest mediation. "It'll do you some good."

Rey bid Finn and Poe goodnight and followed the Padawans out of the kitchen. Teela and Jessika turned into the living space full of couches, and Rey paused at the guest room that Arian occupied as she heard a low voice.

" _If you're scared of the darkness  
I will calm your fear."_

Sliding the door open a few centimeters, Rey saw her husband with his back to her. He held the infant boy in his arms, resting the small head against his right shoulder. His voice was quiet, but she could hear the soft melody of the song.

" _There's a light in the hallway  
So you know I'm here."_

Rey entered the room as silently as possible, knowing full well that Kylo would likely sense her. She had never heard him sing before, let alone a soft lullaby. He had adamantly denied that he knew any such songs when she had once asked him.

" _So count your blessings every day_  
It makes the monsters go away  
And everything will be okay."

Kylo finally turned to face her, and the words faded in his mouth. A feeling of embarrassment flashed through the Force, and Rey wrapped an arm around his waist. "I didn't know you could sing."

He looked at her with a strange expression. "I can't… Arian was just fidgety, and my mother sang that once…"

Rey rubbed a hand over Arian's back lightly, noticing the child sleeping soundly in against Kylo's shoulder. "You'd be a great father, you know."

A shadow crossed over his face as he slowly lay Arian down in the small, hovering bed. "You know how any child of mine would be treated. I don't want to risk anything happening to a child that happened to me or you."

"But we wouldn't leave him or her on Jakku! And we would stay vigilant for any outside influences." Rey ran a hand over Kylo's upper back. "We could leave Coruscant to avoid the Senate watching over us."

He looked at her sharply. "How do we know we would stay vigilant? I'm in the Senate half the time defending myself, and there will be more Padawans before we know it." Kylo's expression softened, and he rested his hands on her shoulders. "Can't we just be surrogate parents to Arian at least until things with the First Order and the Senate die down?"

Rey studied the tired lines of Kylo's face before huffing out a sigh. "I suppose we can. But you haven't won this conversation, Kylo Ren."

A smile pulled at the corner of his lips as he led her back to their own room. "You're too competitive for your own good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lullaby is a song by Pentatonix called Light in the Hallway on their self-titled album. I just fell in love with it and had to incorporate it based on a conversation with Tripping55. Thanks for your continued support!


	20. Attack

Kylo flicked a switch and eased up on the propulsion engines as the X-Wing touched the hard permacrete of Agamar. The viewport clicked open, and he set his comm link on the chair as he pulled himself out, smoothing his jump to the ground with the Force.

"Stay with the ship with engines running at twenty-five percent, R2." The old astromech whirred in acknowledgement, and Kylo ignored the added series of beeps about not being invited to the party.

Poe nodded a greeting, and Kylo noticed the engines of his X-Wing still ran at reduced power as well. Teela glanced between the two of them and turned to the BB unit following her – a black and white model Kylo thought was designated BB-33 – and told it to do the same. The Mirialan caught Kylo's eye and nodded once, her dark lips pressed together. Apprehension flooded through the Force. None of them expected their retrieval of the extra surveillance holovid to go smoothly.

Kylo pulled on the distant presence of Rey for reassurance before feeling out with the Force for anything unusual. He ignored the bright beacon of Teela's powers next to him, and the general murmur of those without sensitivity to the Force tingled through him. As they passed through the large penitentiary doors, he sensed a small spike in the Force, one which he would not have noticed had he not been specifically focusing on finding something. A sense of unease passed through him as he saw Kilnetel standing with a group of five other Senators that Kylo did not recognize.

Dark green lips spread in a false smile. "Master Ren. We heard you were coming back. These good Senators are concerned you wish to break the prisoner Hux out again."

Kylo crossed his arms over his chest, running his eyes over the Twi'lek as she had done to him multiple times. She leaned closer to him, and he placed his gloved hand over a decorative cuff wrapped around her upper arm. Her Force sensitivity shot through him upon the contact, and he sensed a flicker of uncertainty from the Senator. "We're only here to retrieve some surveillance vids."

"I thought you said they wanted to see Hux again," a female Rodian Senator frowned at Kilnetel. "They won't even go below ground to get surveillance."

A strangely familiar presence flooded Kylo's senses through the Force, and he let go of Kilnetel's arm as the hairs rose on the back of his neck. He exchanged a glance with Teela, and the Padawan slipped smoothly in front of him. "Senators. We would be glad to answer any questions, but I believe that you could ask them at the hearing tomorrow. We are only trying to glean all of the information we can about that day to clear up the events for everyone and make things go quickly and smoothly."

The Rodian Senator began asking something that Kylo did not hear, and he let Poe answer as he focused the Force on his bond with Rey. He conveyed the odd presence to her along with a sense of urgency. After a moment, the memory of a black combat-class shuttle approaching Agamar flitted through his mind from his wife.

Kylo's heart dropped into his stomach, and his hand unconsciously gripped his lightsaber hilt as he addressed the nearest guard, "Lock down the building."

The guard, the female Togruta that had been at Hux's interrogation, pulled her brow together. "Our security is at an all-time high - "

The Force screamed through Kylo as the ceiling broke apart above them. Poe smashed into the Togruta guard to push her out of the falling debris, and Kylo strained to stop a huge piece of durasteel with the Force from crushing the group of Senators. He set the durasteel against a portion of intact wall at an angle, and the Senators rushed under it for some safety.

He looked to Teela to find her dropping a smaller piece of durasteel onto the floor with the Force, and relief flooded through him as he realized she had protected both of them. He nodded a thanks to the Mirialan. "We need to get the Senators out to their shuttle."

The Padawan's lightsaber hummed to life in her hands, but Kylo kept his own at his belt as they weaved through the pile of collapsed ceiling. They reached the huddle of Senators as a TIE fighter roared overhead, firing shots at the still-standing scanner. "Stay close. We'll get you out of here."

"So you can free Hux without us around?"

Kylo barely resisted the urge to throw his fist against the scowling Senator's face, and he tried to calm his annoyance as Teela pointed to the dented doors with her blue blade. "Do you think he would be trying to save your lives if his goal was to free Hux? Think through your accusations next time the Jedi come to help. Now, come on."

The Senators stared at Teela in stunned silence, and Kylo held up both of his gloved hands. They seemed to take his movement as a sign of peace, but he turned to stop a shot fired at them from a TIE fighter with the Force. Teela grabbed the Rodian Senator's arm and wrenched her forward. The rest of the Senators followed suit, and Kylo noticed Kilnetel glance back toward the turbo lifts as she joined the group.

Once they moved to the doors, Kylo released the hovering bolt and watched it crash into former hiding spot. Poe caught up to them, clutching his blaster pistol in both hands. A rip in his uniform revealed a long cut in his forearm, and his lower lip was split open. "Finn was right. They must be desperate for Hux."

Another TIE fighter roared above them, and Kylo pulled his lightsaber hilt from his belt. "I didn't think they were organized enough to have this many fighters."

Poe tapped the communicator on his wrist. "BB-8, get the engines to full power." The pilot nodded to Kylo and tightened his grip on his blaster as he sprinted across the landing yard toward his X-Wing. Kylo turned back to the group of Senators but froze as a low voice rang out.

"Ren."

A hooded figure stood near a black shuttle, and Kylo sensed the presence he had felt earlier. The figure pushed his hood back, revealing curving horns and a familiar face. The hum of a blue lightsaber cut through the sounds of TIE fighters.

"Eeth."

Kylo's own lightsaber activated as he studied Eeth's face. The former Padawan had been gone for over a month, but he seemed to have aged several years. His arms were thicker, and the horns jutting from his skull were larger than Kylo remembered. His dark brown skin had gained the traditional tattoos of the Zabrak in deep red.

"Get the Senators to their shuttle and protect them," he murmured softly to Teela. The Padawan looked reluctant for a moment, but she nodded and beckoned the Senators with a small wave of her saber.

Kylo advanced on Eeth, spinning his lightsaber into a comfortable grip. "We can help you, Eeth. You don't need to do this."

Eeth rushed forward and swung his lightsaber at Kylo's shoulder. He caught it with his own and twisted his hilt to lock their blades together. He met the Zabrak's gaze, noticing that he now stood eye level with him. The Dark Side hit Kylo through the Force. Memories of his past following the Dark Side for Snoke welled up against his will.

"The Republic is misguided. It always has been." Eeth spun out of their lock and swiped at Kylo's side. He caught it again, and they began exchanging a flurry of blows. The Zabrak's attacks were stronger and more calculated than Kylo remembered, and he found himself utilizing more of Rey's quick techniques to keep himself from tiring. He did not want to land any fatal blows, but Eeth did not seem to extend such a courtesy.

"You know they're misguided. Look what they keep doing to you." Eeth stabbed forward with his blade in such a novice move that it took Kylo by surprise. Pain seared up his shoulder as another burn formed over his nearly healed one. "They don't trust their greatest asset."

Kylo staggered backwards and shoved Eeth away from him with a push of his hand. His saber spun in his hand as he felt his anger build. The Dark called to him from his opponent.

Overhead, Poe's X-Wing shot down a TIE fighter and twisted in the air to protect an incoming shuttle from attack. "The First Order would've established a better system had you not been seduced."

Eeth smashed his lightsaber toward Kylo's injured shoulder, and the Jedi spun to expose his back to the Zabrak. His left elbow shot out behind him, crashing into Eeth's throat. His purple blade cut shallowly into his former Padawan's side.

Rage exploded across the Force. Eeth snarled and began attacking so furiously that all Kylo could do was defend himself. The Dark Side pushed against his lightsaber, and he grit his teeth as he pulled on his balanced control of the Force. The Dark whispered to accept Eeth's words.

Shoving his hand forward, Kylo pushed the Zabrak back several steps and right into Rey's swinging staff. Eeth crumpled to his knees, revealing Jessika and Sonzy with their own sabers alight next to his wife. Kaydel's small figure darted toward Kylo's X-Wing, and he told R2-D2 to boost the engines through his communicator.

Jessika snatched Eeth's lightsaber and held her yellow crossguarded blade out as she scanned their surroundings. The remaining three TIE fighters shot at the prison again, and Poe weaved between their formation in an attempt to get them to fire at each other. Smoke rose from the X-Wing's right cannon. Kylo's X-Wing took flight under Kaydel's command and began firing at the First Order fighters.

Rey slung her saberstaff across her back and moved in front of Eeth. The Zabrak gave a filthy glare and bucked his head forward. Rey let out a scream as his sharp horns sliced just above and below her left knee. She dropped to the ground, and Kylo's hand shot out, catching his wife's head with the Force before it could make contact with the permacrete.

Eeth jumped at Jessika and wrapped his thick arms around her legs. The Padawan tumbled to the ground, and her lightsaber sliced through two of the Zabrak's horns as she fell. "Ge'off!"

Kylo knelt next to Rey, pressing one of his hands over the wound above her knee. Blood rushed around his fingers. Rey bit her lower lip and shook her head, and Kylo could feel her pain in his own leg. "I'll be fine. Just contain Eeth."

The Zabrak wrenched his own lightsaber from Jessika's grip and stood to find Sonzy's green blade pointing at his chest. Jessika kicked the back of Eeth's knees, but the former Padawan did not seem to feel her as he laughed at Sonzy. "Put down the saber, boy. I'd rather not kill a _youngling_."

The white decorating Sonzy's orange face wrinkled in offence, and Kylo placed his own blade at the side of Eeth's neck. "Surrender. We can help you, Eeth. I know how the Dark Side feels."

The Zabrak's lips twisted into a sneer as he looked at Kylo. "You're too late." Eeth pulled what looked like a single cuff and clamped it around Kylo's outstretched wrist. Kylo vaguely noticed the phantom pain in his leg vanish. Eeth shoved Sonzy back with the Force and sprinted toward the black shuttle.

The world around Kylo seemed to mute. He held out his hand to freeze Eeth as he ran, but the Zabrak continued to move. Kylo stared at his hands in disbelief. Sonzy and Jessika held out their own hands, and Eeth slowed. Kylo looked up to see a shock of red hair disappear into the black shuttle, and panic threatened to overwhelm his thoughts.

The former Padawan leapt toward the rising ramp of the black shuttle, but the addition of Rey's help froze him just before he left the ground. The ramp closed, and the shuttle lifted into the air. Jessika and Sonzy rushed forward and grabbed Eeth's arms, holding him still with the Force.

The two X-Wings raced toward the departing shuttle, but the last remaining TIE fighter swooped between them, blocking the fire meant for the engines of the shuttle. It crashed to the ground, and the shuttle left the atmosphere at light speed.

Kylo ripped off his right glove and tugged at the cuff encircling his wrist, struggling to calm himself. His Force powers swirled wildly within him, but they would not direct outwards. He could barely sense Rey's presence, and that fact alone made him feel as if he would burst.

Sonzy and Jessika dragged Eeth's now limp form over to them, and Kylo knelt beside Rey again. She frowned up at him and placed a hand on the side of his face. "Kylo? Why are you shielding your emotions?"

He held up his cuffed wrist and noticed his fingers trembling slightly. Rey grabbed the cuff and tugged on it for a moment before she moved her hand in a gesture to open it. It remained tight around his wrist. Kylo clenched his fist to stop the trembling. "I can't sense anything."

Rey smiled encouragingly up at him, although Kylo could read her pain behind the expression. "We'll get it off." Her hand moved to his uninjured shoulder and squeezed it gently. "And soon. Because I don't like not being able to sense you."

Kylo pressed his lips together and jumped as Teela's voice sounded behind him. "Master Ren?"

Kylo helped Rey stand and turned to find the group of Senators standing next to the Padawan. He pulled at the cuff absently as his wife leaned against him. The Rodian female nodded respectfully. "Aside from Senator Kilnetel, we have all agreed that you mean no harm to the Republic."

Teela moved away from the Senators with a small smile on her lips, and she took Sonzy's arm to lead him toward the damaged building. Kylo watched them for a moment before another Senator spoke.

"We simply cannot ignore the all of the evidence we've seen regarding your loyalties. You put yourself in harm's way to save us even when we were here to accuse you." The female Togruta Senator who had spoken nodded to Eeth's unconscious form. "Plus, we overheard what he said to you."

"Thank you." Kylo's eyes flicked to Kilnetel, who stood at the back of the group. The panic and anger bubbled in his chest, eager for an escape. It demanded that he break something, but Rey took his ungloved hand in her own. He sensed her calm through their contact, and the anger slowly fizzled out.

The two X-Wings lowered to the ground nearby, and Sonzy came to Kylo's side, clutching several data chips in his hands. "Teela's getting the durasteel off some of the guards. We should be able to get back to Coruscant soon, especially to help Master Solo."

Kylo glanced down at the blood dripping down Rey's leg. "I'll help you to the shuttle."

Rey rolled her eyes. "I can walk." She limped two steps forward and promptly crumpled to the ground. She huffed out a long sigh and held out her hand, waving her fingers toward Kylo. "Fine."

Kylo smiled and picked up his wife's smaller body into his arms, momentarily forgetting about the cuff around his wrist. She curled into his chest, and Kylo adjusted his arms so that her injured leg would not hit anything as he began walking to the shuttle Rey had flown with the Padawans.

Rey placed her hand on the side of his neck as he climbed the ramp, and he relaxed at the contact. He took one of the seat on the side of the shuttle with Rey. His wife smiled softly up at him and rested her head against his shoulder.

Sonzy and Jessika clambered into the shuttle after a few minutes, pulling Eeth along with them with the Force. Jessika set Rey's saberstaff on the floor next to Kylo and avoided his gaze as she said, "Kaydel's flying the X-Wing back."

Kylo nodded once and rubbed his thumb against Rey's side. "Why don't you and Sonzy pilot the shuttle, then? It'll be good practice."

Jessika's eyes lit up, and Kylo's hand tightened unconsciously around Rey as he realized he could not sense the Padawan's excitement. Sonzy plopped into the co-pilot's chair and began running the start-up sequences as Jessika took the pilot's seat.

Kylo barely noticed the shuttle lift in a slight jerk as he watched Rey fall asleep in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a note, lovely people.


	21. Touch

Kylo rummaged through the small cabinet, silently cursing Poe for his lack of organization. Two small blasters clattered to the floor, and he held out his hand to put them back with the Force. He let out a string of colorful Wookie curse words as they remained motionless. Crouching down, he snatched the weapons with unnecessary strength and threw them back onto the lowest shelf. A cartridge dropped out of the storage unit as the blasters tumbled into the cabinet.

"Kriff." Kylo reached out his hand and picked up the cartridge, recognizing it as a power cell. "Finally."

He snapped the power cartridge into his blaster pistol as he stalked toward the middle of Poe's landing bay. He rolled up his sleeves and checked the blaster's settings. The cuff locked around his wrist glinted mockingly in Coruscant's sun.

Without his Force abilities, he found that he could not control his lightsaber well enough to accurately fight. He could still physically wield it, but the Force helped him control the blade and augmented his reflexes. With his power suppressed, the lightsaber was nothing more than a blunt tool.

He raised the blaster into a familiar stance, hating the weight of the cuff around his wrist. He took only a moment to aim at the target board before he began rapidly squeezing the trigger.

How could he have not sensed the Dark growing in Eeth? He had been through the seduction of the Dark. He knew the signs, knew how tempting the nearly unrestricted power was. Luke had entrusted him with the Padawans, and one had slipped away, betraying everyone that Kylo cared about in the process. Why had he allowed Luke to convince him to teach? He had initially refused the position on the basis that his own irreparable damage would do nothing but harm to young Force sensitives.

Rey was the only reason he had stayed. And now he could barely sense her through the bond he had become so dependent upon. He could still see and hear, but he felt trapped, alone inside his own body without the Force and without Rey's constant, soothing presence nearby.

Once the cuff was removed, he would need Rey to keep him from using the Force to choke Eeth.

The bolts created smoking craters in the target board, and Kylo tightened his hold on the blaster as he studied the craters. They surrounded the center of the target, but none had actually hit his mark. He raked a hand through his hair and threw the blaster on the ground as the heat of frustration built in his chest.

"Now, what did that blaster ever do to you?" Kylo jumped as Finn's voice rang across the landing bay, and the frustration gnawed further through his body. He had not realized how much he relied on the Force for even simple things like sensing others approach.

Kylo bent to pick up the blaster as Finn approached. The former Stormtrooper followed his movement, and his eyes remained focused on the cuff. Several scratches marred his skin around the metal; Kylo had woken that morning to find himself pulling at the cuff in his sleep. "Do you have nothing better to do but watch me shoot?"

Finn's arms crossed over his chest. "Well, yes, actually. But Poe messaged saying he and Rey are on their way back."

Kylo let out a long sigh and snapped out the power cartridge as a safety precaution before he followed Finn back into the house. "I'm assuming the Padawans didn't listen to me when I told them to meditate?"

Finn's teeth flashed white against his skin with a laugh. "Of course not. They're in the kitchen researching again. Although I'm not sure what they're hoping to find."

Kylo ducked his head to enter the kitchen, and four pairs of eyes greeted him as the Padawans looked up with alarm. Jessika flicked a hand, and their datapads flipped over to obscure the screens. "Master Ren."

Suspicion laced through Kylo as he took a seat next to Teela. The Padawan cleared her throat awkwardly. "Sorry, Master. It's just that we can't really sense you."

"Well, we can sense that cuff but not you," Sonzy added as he picked up his datapad.

Kylo paused for a moment and looked down at the cuff, once again feeling the frustration at his disconnection to the Force. He would not even be in the situation had he not wanted to harm Eeth with his saber. Stars, he wanted to break something, to scream and yell at the galaxy for never letting him have a moment of peace. "What does the cuff feel like?"

The Togruta frowned as he thought for a moment. "Dark, which is what's alarming considering we're used to your balance."

A strange look slipped over Jessika's face, but Kylo looked away as the sounds of Poe's voice preceded his entrance into the kitchen. Rey trailed after the pilot, and Kylo watched her slight limp interrupt her gait. She sat next to him, and Kylo pulled off his glove to intertwine his fingers with hers. The ire inside of him waned as he vaguely sensed his wife through their weak connection. They tightened their grip on each other as if it would strengthen their faint bond.

Poe set a datapad on the counter, turned on the water heater, and pulled out a mug before stuffing a small piece of fruit in his mouth. He chewed for a second before speaking around the food, "One of the patrol squads intercepted a First Order fleet aiming for Agamar. There's a few other former officers being held there, but we're not really sure why they would try attacking again now that they have Hux back."

Kylo pulled off his other glove with his teeth and rested his hand on Rey's arm, desperate for the extra contact with his wife. "Knowing Hux, it's a diversion. Their main target is probably getting Eeth back so that they have a Force user in their ranks again."

Finn picked up Poe's datapad and flicked his finger over the screen. "Are these reports accurate? Stormtroopers have been sighted?"

A cold chill settled into Kylo's stomach as Poe nodded gravely. "Not many, but yes."

"That means we didn't get them all…" Finn sighed and set the datapad down, shaking his head. "Some of the members of my program didn't return when the funding came back…"

A hazy feeling of concern slid through Kylo, and he recognized after a moment that it came from Rey. "Perhaps we need to go to Geonosis." She tapped the cuff around Kylo's wrist. "It's likely that's where this came from, especially since that's where those explosives were from. The Republic hardly ever sends patrols there, so it's worth a shot."

"A big operation like that, you'll need Ren at full force," Finn frowned at the cuff and then added, "Pun intended."

Poe dumped some powder into his mug and plopped down at the table. Kylo caught the familiar scent of chav as he took a deep drink. "I'm out of ideas. My tools don't work," Kylo winced at the memory of Poe's sparking tools whirring next to his hand, "and all you Jedi tried your Force mojo at once to take it off, even with Skywalker. I don't know much about the Force, but shouldn't that have worked?"

"Thanks for your vote of confidence, Poe," Rey rolled her eyes at the pilot and ran the tips of her fingers over Kylo's arm as hopelessness sparked through him.

Poe shrugged and licked chav off his lips. "Just speaking out loud."

Jessika spoke up quietly, her gaze distant. "What if it's not the amount of the Force we're using, but the method?"

"Like different gestures?" Kaydel raised an eyebrow at her fellow Padawan in disbelief. "I don't think there are many other ways to open something with the Force."

Jessika shook her head and chose her words carefully. "No, not the gesture. I thought I read about something that talks about how different techniques can only be accessed through different sides of the Force. Like healing is a Light technique, and only Dark users can produce Force lightning." She finally met Kylo's eyes, her expression brightening. "We're all Light Side users. What if the way to open the cuff is by using the Dark Side alone?"

The room fell quiet as everyone stared at the cuff. Kylo did not need the Force to tell him they all accepted Jessika's theory.

Poe broke the silence by clinking his mug against the table, and Finn spoke up slowly. "So they either want Ren to be out of commission by deadening his Force powers, or they want him to have to find a Dark Side user to take it off."

Teela chewed on her lower lip for a moment. "Or they want Master Ren to have to use the Dark himself to get rid of it."

Panic rose in Kylo's chest. He had fought for so long to leave the Dark Side behind him; he did not want to succumb to it again. Rey's hand squeezed his reassuringly. "We should talk to Eeth first. Maybe we can convince him to return to us."

Kylo's mouth twitched at his wife's optimism. "The Dark won't relinquish him that easily, especially if he doesn't want to leave it."

"Something happened to him," Sonzy said in a voice barely above a whisper. "He said he wanted to dispel the negative connotations surrounding the Zabrak people since most think of Darth Maul when they see him. I don't think he fell willingly."

Kylo studied the Togruta's face, silently wishing for the Force to help him read the Padawan's emotions. "At this point, I'm not sure how much we can trust what Eeth told us. We don't know when he started down the path to the Dark Side."

Sonzy nodded with a grim expression, and Kylo glanced at the datapads in front of the Padawans. "What are you four researching?"

The light green of Teela's skin paled, and she picked at the corner of her datapad without looking at him. "Well, we started looking at Force suppression, but now we're looking at past followers of the Dark Side."

Kylo let out slow sigh and clasped his hands in front of him. Rey kept her hand on his arm, and he felt her comfortable presence faint in the back of his mind. "Understand that people have gone to the Dark Side for different reasons. Vader did it for the power to save his wife." Rey's hand tightened on his arm, and Kylo took a deep breath to steel himself. He had only ever told Rey about his path to the Dark. "I did because I felt I had no other choice. My family lied to me about my ancestry. I was alone except for Snoke constantly in my mind. The Dark Side welcomed me more than anyone else had. It… felt right for years."

He wanted to add more to not appear as weak as his words felt, but he could not find the words. Rey ran her thumb over his skin as she added, "Your bonds with each other are important. Just know that you can tell us anything." Kylo watched her lips spread in a beautiful smile. "You all know the history. We've been through a lot. We'll understand."

The Padawans nodded solemnly, and Kylo avoided the eyes of Finn and Poe, who both stayed uncharacteristically quiet. Rey pressed a soft kiss to Kylo's jaw. "Let's go talk about this."

Kylo allowed his wife to lead him from the kitchen and shot her a grateful expression as they walked slowly to their bedroom. Rey held onto his upper arm, and he felt her lean against him as she slowed down with a limp. "Didn't the med droid give you pain tabs?"

Rey sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. Worry spiked through Kylo as he watched an expression of pain wash over her face. "Yes, but they block the little connection I can feel with you when we're touching." She shook her head, and her face turned fierce. "I hate this, Kylo."

"I know you hate being wounded – "

"No. Well, yes, I do, but I hate not sensing you." Rey limped into their room and turned to face him. "You had nightmares again last night, and I only woke because you were moving. I couldn't figure out how to help."

Kylo ran a hand through his hair and looked away from his wife. "I've been Force sensitive my entire life. How do you think this… _thing_ makes me feel? I can't sense anything, Rey. Not you, not the Padawans, not Arian. I can't even let out my anger."

Rey placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled him down so that their lips met. Kylo felt their connection as their lips moved together and tasted some sweet on her lips, but it did not seem the same. His senses felt dull and scattered without the Force.

After several long moments, Rey pulled away from the kiss and rested her forehead on Kylo's. "You can use the Dark to remove it. Please. For me. You've gotten out of it before." She kissed the tip of his nose before grinning up at him. "And I'll be here to help."

Kylo straightened and clutched Rey's hand. "The First Order wants me to use the Dark, though. I can't decide why." Theories raced through his mind, of Snoke's return or the emergence of something worse. "I might not be able to get out of it…"

"We'll still have our bond, and I'll be your Light. Like always." Rey gave a dazzling smile and pulled him over to the bed. "We'll tackle that blasted cuff tomorrow."

Kylo sank down into the bed, feeling his worry weight down at his shoulders. Rey curled up close, and Kylo almost tried using the Force to pull the covers over her body before he grabbed them with his hand. She smiled at him and pulled him close, keeping her hand on his arm. "Tell me something about your childhood."

Kylo frowned slightly and rested his head against the pillow. "It's not terribly happy, so I don't think it would make a good bedtime story."

Rey rolled her eyes and adjusted her own head on her pillow. "I know there were happy moments. How did you learn to speak Wookie?"

Kylo allowed his wife to distract his mind and sighed softly. "The official name for their language is Shyriiwook."

"Skriwok?" Rey pronounced the word awkwardly on her tongue and grinned. "Shyriiwook?"

"Shyriiwook, yes." Kylo moved to clasp their hands together again. "Chewie was always at my parents' flat when I was young. I think I picked up most of the sounds as I was learning Basic, and he taught me how to actually speak it when I was around five or so."

"Do you know any legends from the Wookies?"

Kylo began telling Rey a tale of a great war and the trickery of the Wookies using a constructed Kashyyyk bantha to secretly enter a city. He drifted to sleep before he finished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brownie points to you smart people if you know what the Wookie legend references! Let me know what you think!


	22. Impact

Kylo leaned back in the chair and glanced at Rey beside him. Her face was set in concentration, and she flicked a few switches to her left before her grip relaxed on the steering controls of the shuttle. She smiled at him and took his hand, allowing their weak connection to strengthen at the contact. "We should reach Tatooine in about twelve hours."

He tightened his hand around his wife's and let out a slow sigh. "Maybe I'll get impatient enough to go to the Dark Side."

Rey snorted softly and touched a button in the center of the control console. A soft beep told them that the ship flew on autopilot. "We could just relax until you need to focus on the Dark." She stood, and Kylo followed her back to the small table and comfortable cushioned bench next to it.

"Relaxing isn't very Dark Side." Kylo let go of Rey's hand to push up his sleeve and ran his fingertips over the metal around his wrist. Almost a week with the ridiculous cuff, and it had not budged at all. "I'd rather get this thing off sooner rather than later."

Rey took his hand again and frowned at the cuff. "You really can't sense that thing?" She pressed her free hand to the metal, and Kylo felt a faint buzzing of energy through their restricted bond. "It feels like how you were before you left the Dark."

Kylo sighed softly and closed his eyes for a moment. "You know, as a child I would've killed for something to stop the Force, to make me normal like everyone else. Like my father."

He heard Rey's soft intake of air, but she said nothing and let her thumb run over the top of his hand. Kylo opened his eyes again and let out a slow sigh. The Force swirled within him widely, eager for an escape into the galaxy around him, but it felt balanced as usual. "It was so easy to use the Dark Side before. But now that I have you…"

"And the Padawans. And little Arian." Rey smiled and pressed her lips to the side of his face for a moment. She curled up her legs and leaned on his shoulder. "If a few days away from them on Tatooine doesn't help, we'll think of something else."

Kylo nodded and wrapped an arm around Rey's shoulders, ignoring the worry that gnawed at the back of his mind. "Once we get this off, we could finally have our honeymoon."

Rey grinned up at him, and Kylo could not help the tug of his own lips at the sight. "I haven't forgotten your promise to take me to Naboo."

Kylo pressed a kiss to the top of his wife's head. "I know. I saw the pictures and lists of things you want to see there on your datapad."

Her hand swatted his chest. "Why were you looking through my datapad?"

"I couldn't find mine, and I couldn't exactly use the Force to get it." Kylo wrapped his free arm over his chest to protect himself from Rey's harmless hits.

She smacked his arm and rolled her eyes. "It fell on the floor – "

They both fell against the table as the shuttle shuddered and turned sharply. Kylo pushed the table out of the way, and Rey scrambled to her feet. She stumbled on the way to the pilot's chair as the shuttle dipped again and pushed her hand out to use the Force to stabilize herself. Kylo's hands scrabbled for purchase as he went flying across the space, and he tried for a futile moment to stop himself with the Force. He slammed against the opposite wall and felt the air rush out of his lungs.

The shuttle righted, and Kylo slowly stood as he sucked in air greedily, hearing Rey cursing over the sound of the control panel's beeps. "What in the stars was that?"

Rey shook her head and gripped the controls as they vibrated in her hands. "Take the controls."

Kylo reached around her and held the shaking controls. Rey ducked under his arms and pulled off a piece of the wall paneling. "The wiring's frayed."

The controls shuddered in Kylo's hands, and he clenched his left hand as tight as possible as he reached to pull the lever to take the shuttle out of hyperspace. "Can you fix it?"

"I doubt there are spare wires hanging around." He heard her rummaging in the back of the shuttle followed by a clatter of what was probably tools. "I could tie the sides together. I just need something to support them."

Kylo tried to glance at the navigational screen to identify a white planet nearby, but the controls jerked, and he struggled to keep the shuttle from tipping again. He heard Rey pull off another panel behind him followed by a string of curses in the language of Jakku.

He spared a quick glance over his shoulder to see Rey kneeling on the floor. "What?"

"There's… I don't know what it is. It looks like it's causing too much pressure on the wires. Maybe I can just pull…"

Kylo heard a loud bump, and the controls jerked wildly out of his hands. The shuttle tipped to the side again. Kylo fell against the wall and caught a glimpse of the planet coming rapidly into view. The shuttle trembled as it plummeted into the planet's atmosphere.

Kylo brought his leg up to kick against the control panel and propelled himself across the space to Rey. He wrapped himself around her small frame, and he vaguely sensed her use of the Force through their bond.

The shuttle convulsed underneath them, and everything went dark.

* * *

"Kylo?"

His eyelids felt too heavy to open, and he wondered how much sleep he had gotten. He would need some caf to get him through the Padawans' training. An odd, dull pain ached at his left side, and he felt a strange throbbing in his head. Had he been drinking the night before? He usually avoided alcohol for it inhibited his connection to the Force.

"Kylo, wake up."

The urgency in Rey's voice alarmed him, and he dragged open his eyes against their will. Dim red emergency lights shadowed the worry on his wife's face. It took several long moments before he recalled clutching Rey as they crashed. "Rey? You all right?"

A dark stain was spreading along the knee of her grey trousers, and Kylo carefully pulled himself into a sitting position. He reached a hand to the growing stain, but Rey shook her head with wide eyes. "The shuttle's sinking into snow, and I don't have the strength to stop it." Her gaze flicked to the cuff around Kylo's wrist, and his heart sank in his chest at the unspoken words between them. "We need to get out before we're buried."

Rey had told him of the sinking sands on Jakku and how she had nearly been pulled under one as a scavenger. She was terrified of being buried alive, and her fear echoed through their weak bond as he took her hand to stand. The shuttle gave an eerie groan as he felt it lower into the snow. "See if Poe put any emergency kits on board. I'll find our bags."

Glass from a broken viewport crunched underneath his boots as he picked his way over the dented and broken wall they had been laying upon. The small table was overturned nearby, and his side throbbed as he pushed it out of the way to reveal Rey's brown bag and his small black one. He pulled out a blaster pistol from his own bag and attached it to his belt next to his lightsaber hilt. For all he knew, the First Order could have planned for them to crash on a planet they inhabited.

As he turned back to Rey, the shuttle lurched, and snow piled in through the cracks in the main viewport. His wife pushed up with her hand, and the escape hatch on the ceiling – now the wall – of the shuttle popped open. Kylo breathed a small sigh of relief that the hatch was still barely above the snow line. Rey threw the two emergency kits up and jumped to grab the ledge. Her fingers missed by centimeters, and she fell to her left knee with a soft gasp of pain. Kylo flinched as he expected to feel the pain of her reopened wound and felt the familiar frustration build up again as he realized he could not.

"Let me help." Kylo tossed their bags out of the hatch, and Rey began to protest before snow began to fall in from the opening. A look of panic crossed her face, and she allowed him to grip her waist and lift her a small distance from the floor to climb out. The ache in his side turned into a sharp fire as he hoisted himself out of the shuttle. His ankle clipped the top of the hatch and felt Rey jerk him away from the rapidly submerging shuttle with the Force.

Kylo looked back at the barely visible side of the shuttle and let out a slow breath that condensed in a heavy cloud in front of him. "Lucky you woke when you did."

"Uh-huh." Rey's voice trembled, and Kylo pulled himself to his feet to see her shivering in her thin clothes. He gathered their strewn bags and emergency kits and took his cloak from his bag before handing it to his wife. She shrugged it around her shoulders and frowned at him. "Why did you pack a cloak to take to Tatooine?"

"It has a hood, and I didn't really want to be recognized by any First Order spies that might be there." He glanced at the communicator on his wrist and cursed his luck that glass had lodged into the circuitry. "Your comm working?"

Kylo eyed the growing stain around Rey's knee as she tapped her own communicator. "Power's low, but I'll send as strong of a signal as I can. Hopefully BB-8 will catch it."

Wind whipped at Kylo's face as he scanned their very white surroundings. A wall of clouds hid the sun from view, and he guessed they only had two or three hours before they lost what little warmth it provided. Small lumps dotted the horizon, but they looked to be small hills rather than houses. He tried for a futile moment to feel out with the Force for lifeforms. "We need shelter. Can you sense anyone nearby?"

Rey huddled against him to shield herself from the wind and shook her head. "No one, although I feel like the Force is pulling me to go that way."

Kylo trusted her and the Force enough to nod as she pointed to his left. "Let's walk for an hour. If we don't find anything, we can try to make at least a wind barrier out of the snow."

He shouldered the two bags, and Rey held onto the two emergency kits with one hand. They walked with their arms around each other for warmth as they ventured into the snowy landscape. The wind whipped the snow around their face, and frustration flared in Kylo's chest that he still could not sense anything around them. He felt blind without the Force.

The cloudy sky quickly grew darker, and Kylo could feel Rey's body tremble against his. Her teeth chattered audibly through her blue-tinged lips.

"Use the Force to raise your body temperature a bit." The frigid air hurt his lungs as he spoke, and he watched Rey's flushed face as it shifted into a look of concentration. Her teeth stopped clicking, and he nodded in satisfaction. She was still unused to the cold, but the Force could keep her going for a while longer.

He nodded to the emergency kits to take her mind away from the cold. "I'm a little surprised Poe stocked not one but two of those on his shuttle."

"He said he learned on Jakku that having emergency kits on board was the only thing the First Order did right." The end of Rey's sentence was interrupted by her laugh, and Kylo grinned at the sound.

He pulled his wife closer as a strong gust of wind slashed against them. Her feet slipped through some ice, and Kylo's side burned as he caught his wife. He finally pressed his hand against it to feel for what he assumed was cut made worse by the face he did not have the Force to help him ignore it. His fingers felt something sticky on his clothes, and his hand met something that was definitely not his own body. Sharp pain rippled up to his shoulder as he felt a hard shard of metal embedded in his body.

"Are you all right?" Rey looked up at him with concern, and he knew she had sensed the burn of the injury.

"I'll be fine." He met her worried eyes, and the memory of their first duel on the snowy Starkiller Base flitted through his mind. How desperate he had been to resist Rey's Light. His side had been damaged then, too, by something worse than a piece of metal.

Taking a deep breath, he brought his hand up the injury and pressed his hand against it slowly. A spasm of pain shot through him, and he let the Force trapped within him pull on the self-inflicted torture.

"What in the stars are you doing?" Rey moved in front of him and stopped walking, her eyes narrowed in a glare.

Kylo crossed his arms over his chest and could not help the shiver that ran through him. He pulled on the small irritation the movement caused in his new wound. "The point of this trip was to try to awaken the Dark Side of my powers. That's what I'm doing."

"Not by hurting yourself! Isn't that what Snoke made you do?" Rey darted to his side before he could stop her and examined his sticky clothes. "There's a better way than causing yourself more damage."

Kylo turned to shield his side and shifted their bags to cover the wound. "The Dark Side is about using pain and anger to fuel its power. I can't really use anger since you always calm me down. So pain it is."

Rey wrapped the dark cloak further around her body and scowled. "I won't let you hurt yours – "

A yell escaped Kylo's lips as something large and hairy smashed him into the snow. The attacking animal snarled down at him, and he distantly heard Rey scream his name before its weight flew off him. Kylo blinked several times as a daze clouded his sight, and he rolled onto his side. Deep red stained the snow, and he pressed his hand over the wound. His breaths came in shallow gasps through the stabbing pain his side, and he remained on his knees as he heard Rey's quick footsteps approach.

He looked up through the blowing snow, and it took him longer than usual to register the dark shape coming behind Rey. His cold fingers fumbled fruitlessly for the blaster at his belt. "Rey!"

She turned in time to avoid the brunt of the sharp claws, but blood blossomed through newly formed holes in the cloak. Her bleeding knee buckled, sending her sprawling into the snow. Her uninjured arm lifted slowly to grab the lightsaber from her back.

Panic and terror flooded through Kylo as the beast of an animal reared back for another swipe at his wife. Her lightsaber activated, and she swung it wildly from where she lay on the group. The animal yelped and backed away as her blue blade seared through its fur. Rey struggled to her feet and brandished her saber threateningly.

Kylo finally pulled his blaster from his belt and aimed at the animal. The bolt hit the animal – which he recognized as a wampa – in the leg, and it swept out a paw wildly into Rey. She flew to the side and crashed into a hill of ice. She fell to motionless to the snow.

Kylo's heart nearly stopped. He could not sense Rey, could not sense her heartbeat or her electrifying presence through the Force. She could be dead because of him in the bitter cold, and the kriffing cuff kept him from the right of even knowing.

He shuffled through the snow and yanked hard on the frozen cuff, desperate for it burn in every depths of hell that may exist for him to be able to sense Rey once again. His cloak covered her still body in the snow, and Kylo locked his eyes on it as he broke into a run toward her. His side screamed at the motion, but he refused to allow it to keep him from his wife.

The soft growl of the wampa broke his thoughts, and Kylo watched in horror as it raced toward Rey's form. He threw his hands out instinctively.

Agony tore through his side and mixed with his fear for Rey. The wampa flipped backward in the snow, and Kylo closed his right hand into a fist as he raised it into the air. The animal rose by its throat, letting out pitiful whimpers as it thrashed against the force holding it captive.

Kylo watched it struggle to breathe for several moments, and his eyes flicked to his wife's immobile form. He dropped the beast unceremoniously into the snow and stalked toward it, his lightsaber igniting comfortably in his hand. His purple blade reflected in the fear of the animal's large, dark eye. The wampa shifted weakly in the snow, but Kylo willed it to remain motionless like it had done to Rey. He ended its life with a long cut through its chest and throat.

The humming of the lightsaber cut through the sudden silence of the snowy landscape, and Kylo looked down at the blade. He had not used it in well over a week since he had nearly lost control of it, but now it blazed in his hand as an extension of himself. He felt the Dark Side pulse through him, stronger than it had been in years. He half expected the lightsaber to turn red in his hand.

"Kylo?"

Rey's head lifted from the snow, her brown eyes wide as she watched him. Snow clung to her brunette hair in clumps. Her hand covered her bleeding arm, and she studied him carefully. "The Force…"

Kylo deactivated his lightsaber and clipped it back to his belt as relief flooded through him. His hand brushed against the blaster, and he wondered why he would carry such a weapon before he remembered the cuff around his wrist. With a brusque gesture of his fingers, the metal opened and fell into the snow as he dropped to his knees next to his wife.

Rey wrapped her arms around his middle, and Kylo let out a hiss as she squeezed his wound. The Dark flared hotter within him. His wife pressed her lips to his, and he felt the full strength of their bond connect. The Dark recoiled at Rey's Light in his mind and screamed to get rid of her. Kylo forced himself to latch on to his wife's presence. She had not been physically gone, but dear stars, he had missed her.

Bright light shone through Kylo's closed eyelids, and he lifted a hand to watch a shuttle emblazoned with the New Republic's seal descend nearby. Two figures ran out into the blowing snow, and Kylo sensed the vibrant energy of Jessika and Poe before their faces came into view. They each clutched thick blankets, and the Padawan quickly wrapped hers around Rey's shivering form.

Poe pressed his blanket into Kylo's arms and stole a glance at the dead wampa. Kylo pulled on the blanket, which radiated welcome heat, around himself with numb fingers and scooped up the open cuff, feeling its cold weight in his hands as he followed the Damerons back to the shuttle.

"BB-8 caught the last bit of your signal and altered Jessika. I was meeting with the Senate's military council when she found me." Poe scowled at the shuttle. "Unfortunately, _someone_ insisted on accompanying us, and I didn't really have time to argue when I saw you were on Imei."

Kylo exchanged a glance with Rey, and they climbed the shuttle's ramp. Kilnetel's green form nearly negated the inviting warmth. Kylo briefly debated about returning to the freezing planet rather than share a shuttle ride with the Twi'lek.

Poe slipped into the pilot's seat as the ramp clicked shut, and Jessika pressed a medical kit into Kylo's hands. He sensed her sympathy through the Force as she took the co-pilot's chair. The shuttle lifted smoothly away from the snow under Poe's guidance.

Kilnetel smiled prettily up at Kylo, and the Dark roared inside of him as he acutely sensed her sensitivity to the Force. "I'm so glad you and Master Solo are safe."

The Dark whispered to silence her, but Kylo only flashed a bitter smile back at her. "I'm sure the First Order will not be." He dropped the open cuff on the floor in front of Kilnetel and moved to join his wife.

Rey sank into some seats as far from the Senator as possible and took the medical kit from Kylo's hands. "Should get that metal out of you."

Kylo's eyes flicked to the Twi'lek, who watched them intently. "Med droids can do that."

He felt Rey's worry through their bond, and the Dark welcomed it greedily. It whispered that he did not want more Senators poking their noses into his business. Besides, the medical droids would likely make him stay in the hospital overnight and away from Rey. He did not want to be away from her now that he could fully sense her again.

He shrugged off the warm blanket and clipped off his thick belt. He then pulled up his two layers of clothes and flinched as his wound throbbed angrily. He did not want to pull off his shirt entirely with Kilnetel nearby, but the back of his mind whispered to taunt the Twi'lek with something she could not have. He met the Senator's eyes challengingly for a moment before he slipped out of his shirt and looked down at the jagged injury.

Kylo felt Kilnetel's eyes on his bare chest, and he pulled the thick blanket over his right shoulder to keep warm as the hairs on the back of his neck rose under her stare. Rey slipped her own blanket off, and with a flick of her fingers, it flew across the small space and on top of Kilnetel. The thick material muffled the Twi'lek's yell of alarm. "Do keep your eyes to yourself, Senator."


	23. Present

The droid rushed toward Kylo and swung a practice saber at his shoulder. He twisted to the side and raised his own saber with his left hand. The weak hand could not control the hilt with accuracy and allowed the droid the time to catch his attack. The humming white practice saber clashed and sparked against his crackling red blade.

Kylo flicked his right out. The tendons in his healing shoulder screamed at the movement, and he drew on the power of the Dark Side as he shoved the droid backwards with the Force. He tightened his left-handed grip on the vibrating saber hilt while he stalked toward his mechanical opponent.

The droid stabbed the practice saber forward. Kylo parried the attack and felt a familiar presence in the back of his mind. The presence invaded him further, and it was not the joyful feeling he occasionally felt since the encounter with the girl from Jakku. He lashed out with his sparking blade and watched it cut through the metal arm. The practice saber clattered to the floor, and Kylo twisted his crossguarded hilt in his hand to destroy the droid with a swipe through its middle.

The presence inside his mind increased to a dull pressure, and he deactivated the unstable blade. "Master."

Snoke's low voice reverberated in his mind. " _I notice something different about you, my apprentice."_

"The Light is gone – "

" _The Light continues to vie for control of you."_ A sharp pain shot through Kylo, and he resisted the urge to fall to his knees as he doubled over. " _And what do I see about the girl? The one you failed to bring to me?"_

Kylo straightened and fixed his eyes upon his mask. It would not help him hide his thoughts from Snoke, but it steeled his thoughts. "I've sworn she is not a distraction."

Snoke fury emanated through the Force. " _And that thought of following her? Leaving me? Me, the only one who has ever understood your powers?"_

A pit formed in Kylo's stomach, and he shifted his right shoulder. The pain shot down his arm and up his neck through the partially healed cut. The Dark Side flowed stronger within him, and he used it to push back at the small spark of Light that constantly agonized him. "No… It was only a fleeting thought. I would never forfeit your guidance."

" _Come to my chambers."_

"Kylo? Kyyylo…"

A dull ache resonated through his shoulder as it shook, and he forced open his eyes to focus on Rey's face. The Dark rose up inside him at the sight of her, and he took several moments to realize where he was. Snoke no longer controlled him. He was safe with Rey and his Padawans.

Pain laced up his side from his injury as he sat up. Rey's eyes darted to the synthflesh covering the his from their crash, but her face lit up in a broad smile. "Morning, sleepy head."

Kylo raked a hand through his tangled hair and gave his wife a soft smile. Rey pressed her lips against his and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He rested his hands on her waist and pulled her close, feeling her affectionate and joyous presence through their bond that was so unlike the one he had dreamt about.

He rested his forehead against hers after a several minutes, and Rey moved her hands to his shoulders with a smile that dimpled her cheeks. "You slept better than you have in a while. I didn't sense any nightmares from you."

Kylo started to contradict her, but the Dark whispered that it had just been a dream. There was no need to worry Rey, especially now that the cuff was off. "Yeah. I slept fine." He pressed a light kiss to his wife's lips, ignoring the feel of the Dark Side within him. "And to what do I owe such a wonderful morning greeting?"

Rey smiled and pressed something small into the palm of his hand before she pressed a brief kiss to the tip of his nose. "Happy birthday."

Kylo blinked in surprise and glanced at the chronometer. Yes, the correct month displayed on the screen, but he had not celebrated his birthday since being under Luke's tutelage as a teen. He was not even sure what day he had been born on, which had suited them both in the past since Rey did not know her own birthday. "I never told you my…?"

Rey gave a soft laugh and crisscrossed her legs on the bed next to him. "Luke thought we could use a break from, well, everything. He has pictures of you and your family from that day." She nudged his hand. "Open it."

Kylo turned the small black bag in his hand and opened the drawstring to dump out a string of tiny blue stones. He examined the stones and looked up at Rey.

She grinned, and he could sense her excitement dance through their bond. "They're – "

" – quella stones. My mother had some from Alderaan." Kylo ran his fingertips over the stones, feeling the energy of the Force hum around them. "How did you find some?"

Rey slid closer to him and rested a hand on his knee. "You know Poe's trying to fix up the _Falcon_? I was helping him look at the engine cooler, and I found them through the grating in the floor."

Kylo paused and searched Rey's face. He could sense her honesty, but he took several moments to wrap his mind around her words. "These… actually belonged to her."

The small stones suddenly seemed so precious in his hands, and he felt the corners of his mouth pulling into a smile. Rey ran her thumb over the thin material of his trousers. "Do you remember her with them?"

A small chuckle escaped Kylo's lips. "My fa – Han gave them to her. He'd been off on some smuggling trip, and she was _furious_ that he hadn't communicated in a week and just turned up one morning. She was yelling, and I think Chewie was trying to move me to my room when she stopped. And he was just holding these out to her." He slid the stones in his hand, feeling the minute ridges on their surfaces. "Turned out he'd gone on the trip because he'd heard some things from Alderaan had surfaced somewhere."

He looked up at Rey's beaming expression and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "Thank you." Kylo pressed a brief kiss to Rey's lips before he carefully set the quella stones on the nightstand. "You didn't tell the others about my birthday, did you?"

"Of course not."

Relief flooded through Kylo as he slipped on the black layers of his usual Jedi attire. He did not want the Padawans distracted from their training nor did he want extra attention, not with the Dark flowing strong within him.

He wrapped his belt around his middle as a knock sounded on the door, and Finn's enthusiastic voice yelled, "Breakfast!"

Kylo looked sharply at Rey. "You didn't tell anyone?"

"I didn't!" She handed him his lightsaber, and a small pang of comfort went through him as he wrapped his fingers around the familiar hilt he had built after he had left the First Order. The crackling blade of his past with Snoke was long gone. "Luke told them."

"Rey – "

She laughed softly and shook her head, pushing him out the door. "Just enjoy it, Kylo."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes and let Rey pull him into the kitchen. The four Padawans grinned up at Kylo as he sat down with Rey. Finn stood at the heating unit and glanced back at them. "I actually didn't think you two would be out so soon."

The former Stormtrooper piled food on three plates and balanced them in his hands. He took four steps toward them, and Kylo watched as the third plate wobbled and tumbled toward the floor. His hand shot out instinctively, and the plate stopped with the Force a few centimeters from the floor.

The general chatter that usually came from the Padawans quieted instantly. Kylo looked over to them, and the plate gave a soft clatter as it hit the floor. "What?"

The Padawans exchanged a glance, and Sonzy chewed his lower lip for a moment. "Nothing. It's just… strange to feel the Dark Side."

Kylo assumed Teela's smile was meant to be encouraging, but he could read her worry through the Force. "Especially when it's used to do something so mundane like stopping a plate from breaking."

"We have a present for you, Master Ren." Jessika pushed over a small box. "Happy birthday."

Rey squeezed Kylo's upper arm and slid closer to him. He took the box and tried to ignore the fact the Kaydel very pointedly would not meet his gaze. "And where is the instigator of all of this?"

"Master Skywalker was called away with Poe to view those holo vids from the Agamar Penitentiary." Finn took a bite of the breakfast and spoke around the food. "Seems they finally decoded the security on them."

The surprise reverberated through the Force, and Rey and Kylo spoke at once, "Wait, what?"

"The Senate didn't want Ren around to tamper with anything." He raised his hand to stop Kylo's protest. "I know, I know, you wouldn't. But that green flirt also couldn't come, so that's something."

Kylo fiddled with the box in his hands. "And have they messaged anything?"

Finn began to respond but stopped as Poe entered the kitchen. The pilot wore his full military uniform, complete with the general's stars on the sleeve around the Reformed Republic's seal. "So I was going to get you something, Ren, but I think telling you that we saw Kilnetel's hand blatantly move as Hux's cuffs opened is enough of a present."

Rey gasped loudly beside him, and her hand tightened around Kylo's arm. "So she'll finally be investigated?"

Poe flashed his trademark grin and stole a piece of fruit from Finn's plate. "They've actually ordered her to be detained. But there's more news." He swallowed the fruit, and his expression darkened. "Eeth's agreed to talk. But only to Ren."

* * *

"If you're not going to tell me where you've been, then indulge me with what this cuff does."

Eeth's jaw clenched as he glared at Kylo. A humming field surrounded the Zabrak, reminding Kylo of his time in the Agamar penitentiary; the field only allowed its occupant to use the Force within its bounds. He might have felt some pity for the former Padawan, but he was not restrained like Kylo had been as a prisoner after Snoke's defeat. "I'm guessing you discovered what it is right away. I see no more information that you need."

Kylo let out a slow breath and glanced at Jessika beside him before speaking. "How about getting it off?"

Eeth turned his dark eyes away from Kylo and pressed his lips together to remain silent. Kylo's fingers tapped the cuff around his wrist. It was loose enough that he could slip it off, and it only felt like a minor annoyance with the Dark roaring inside him. But the Zabrak did not need to know he had already removed the cuff. "You know how having the Force suppressed affects us."

The Zabrak gave a low snort and tapped the field around him. A soft sizzle reached Kylo's ears at the contact. "I do. Maybe I'll tell you if you shut off this field."

"You attacked a member of the medical staff as well as several guards since your stay here. Unfortunately, the field is necessary." Kylo crossed his arms over his chest to casually reveal his lightsaber. "I would like to know why you put it on me."

Eeth's lips twitched into a sneer. "Even with this field, I can sense the power of the Dark Side. Don't lie, Ren. You've already gotten it off." The Zabrak shifted his weight on his feet in an almost predatory way. "I'm assuming the only reason you haven't come in here yet to enter my mind is because you're afraid of using the Dark."

Kylo felt his eyebrow quirk up of its own volition. "I was in the Dark for _years._ " He stepped forward so that he was only a few inches from the field. His voice lowered, and he wished for his old mask to modulate it into something more menacing. "You know nothing of the Dark, _boy._ "

Eeth met his gaze evenly and tilted his head to the left. The bright lights of the room shone off the red tattoos of his face. "Then show me, _Master_."

Kylo's eyes flicked to the surveillance camera in the corner. He could sense the energy around the control panel in the next room. It would be a mere of twitch of his finger to turn off the field. The Dark flowed thick inside of him and whispered that Eeth would not stand a chance against him. Skywalker blood combined with a lifetime of training made him extremely sensitive to the Force. The Dark only made him stronger; he could easily restrain the Zabrak and enter his mind for all the information he needed.

"Master Ren?" Jessika's quiet voice cut through Kylo's thoughts, and a glance toward her found a worried expression on the Padawan's face. "I think it's time we head back."

Kylo cast his eyes over the former Padawan for a long moment. "I'll be back when you're ready to tell me something useful."

A Zabrak guard with deep yellow tattoos met them in the hall and led them toward the turbolifts. He studied Kylo for a long moment as they walked. "It's a shame about him. Eeth. He came from my tribe on Iridonia." The guard pressed the button for the lift. "Everyone was excited that he went to the Padawan program. They thought if he became a Jedi, it could help mend the reputation that Maul gave us before the Clone Wars."

Jessika gave the guard a soft smile as they stepped onto the turbolift, and Kylo sensed her sympathy. "We'll find out what happened to him. Maybe we can help."

The Padawan chatted with Zabrak guard about the unusual warm weather as Coruscant entered into its winter months. Kylo closed his eyes for a moment to feel the Force within himself. The Dark Side pulsed angrily within him, clambering to do something to prove to Eeth that he was not afraid.

The lift doors opened, and Kylo stepped out with Jessika. Guards that he recognized as former Stormtroopers in Finn's recovery program stood around the small entrance hall. The Coruscant prison administration heightened security since Hux's escape from Agamar and had hired the troopers due to understaffing. Not many people wanted to be guarding a place where a Dark Sider loyal to the First Order was being held.

The Zabrak guard clapped Jessika on the shoulder and bid her goodbye. The Padawan kept pace with Kylo as they strode to the scanners. Kylo began to say something encouraging to Jessika about her handling the guard well, but he paused as he felt a familiar presence nearby.

Two guards held onto Kilnetel's arms, and the Senator pulled against their hands, her green skin flush. "I don't understand why this is necessary. I am perfectly happy to explain what happened to the Senate." Her weak struggles stopped as she caught sight of Kylo. " _You_ did this."

Her green lips curled into a snarl, and she ripped free of the guards' hold with unexpected strength. The two guards darted after her with a yell. Kylo's hand lifted, and the Force slammed the Twi'lek against the wall. He stalked toward her, the Dark throbbing excitedly within him as it held Kilnetel motionless. He stopped closer to her than he ever would have before the Dark Side had reclaimed him, and he felt his mouth twitch into a sneer. "It's over, Senator. You can't frame me."

"Master Ren!"

Kylo turned to see Jessika's yellow lightsaber humming in her hands. Several of the Stormtrooper guards converged on her, and four clutched blasters as they approached him.

A green hand grabbed the side of his face and forced Kylo to look back at Kilnetel. The Twi'lek smiled prettily up at him. "For the First Order."

Her lips smashed against Kylo's. His entire body froze in shock, and his back hit the wall. The Dark Side growled within him as he felt the Force constrict around him. He pulled on its power to fight back, but Kilnetel gave a soft laugh and pressed something wet over his mouth and nose. Kylo inhaled an awful-smelling substance, and black spots danced in his vision. "Happy birthday, Master Ren."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry.


	24. Damage

Rey stuffed a large chocolate pastry in her mouth and savored the sweet flavor on her tongue. Poe claimed this particular pastry was perfectly acceptable for both breakfast and lunch, and she could find no fault in eating pastries at any time of the day. All baked goods found on Coruscant were better than the portioned bread she had eaten for years on Jakku.

The pilot and Finn stood by the sink, whispering quietly to each other. While she could hear their words if she tried hard enough, the conversation seemed private, and she was more concerned with her plans to take Kylo somewhere for his birthday evening. She snatched another pastry and bit into half of it.

"Just because Master Ren favors Form Six doesn't mean we can't develop our own styles. He told us as much," Teela said in a tone that came off as more bossy than she likely meant.

Sonzy rolled his eyes and shrugged, his long fingers playing with a small fruit. "And just because he told us to find our own styles doesn't mean I can't decide that Form Six suits me the best."

Only two chocolate pastries remained on the plate. Rey mildly considered saving them for Kylo and his sweet tooth before she grabbed another. She chewed part of it before speaking, "Why don't you two go spar with your forms? I'm sure Master Ren would be happy to see you working on your lightsaber skills."

The Togruta grinned and popped the fruit in his mouth. "Yeah, let's see how Form Five goes up against Six, hm?"

"You're on." The two Padawans nearly fell over each other as they raced out to Poe's ship bay.

"I'll be out in a minute!" Rey finished the pastry and reached for the last one, turning her attention to Kaydel. The blonde Padawan picked at the food in front of her and stared at her glass of water. "Something on your mind?"

Kaydel shrugged and closed her eyes for a long moment. "It's just… Nothing, Master."

Rey leaned forward and set the pastry back on the plate. "Remember you can tell us anything, Kaydel. I won't tell Master Ren if you don't want me to." The Padawan chewed her lower lip and pushed at the food with her fork. Rey smiled softly and rested a hand on Kaydel's arm, feeling her fear through the Force. "Are you afraid of the Dark Side in Master Ren?"

Kaydel's eyes flicked up to Rey to confirm her fear. "Just… Look what it did to Eeth."

Rey breathed out a slow sigh. "I know. But Master Ren was deeper in the Dark before than he is now. He'll be okay, and he won't hurt you." She squeezed Kaydel's arm reassuringly. "We share a Force Bond. I can barely sense the Dark from him. I don't think it took much of it to take off that cuff."

Kaydel's blonde eyebrows pulled together. "You're Force Bonded with him, but you can barely sense the Dark." She glanced to her side as if she expected Jessika to pipe up before she realized her fellow Padawan had gone with Kylo. "Master – "

She fell silent as the sound of metal rolling on hard floor reached them, and Rey looked around as BB-8 zoomed into the kitchen. The droid flashed a bright red light at Rey in greeting before it rolled to Poe and began a series of beeps about the pilot's communicator.

Poe dropped into a crouch and gave an easygoing smile. "No, buddy, I took it off to charge." He started to the kitchen archway. "All right, all right, I'll go get it. Pushy."

Kaydel watched Poe leave and then lowered her voice as if sharing a secret. "Master, we can all feel the Dark... _tainting_ the Force whenever Master Ren uses it. I don't know why you can't feel it like us."

Rey shook her head slowly and leaned back in the chair. She pulled on the Force within her and reached out to her bond with Kylo. Despite intense training with Luke and several years with Kylo, she did not feel comfortable using the Force over long distances, even just the two klicks that separated Poe's home and the Coruscant prison.

Forcing herself to focus solely on the Force, Rey sensed her husband's presence. She pushed deeper, and the Dark crashed into her like a brutal sandstorm. Kylo's fury exploded across the bond, followed by an intense flash of shock. Terror flooded her mind, and she could not tell if it originated from her or her husband. "Something's wrong."

She sprinted toward the ship bay, her heart hammering in her chest. She kept her focus on the Force bond and did not sense Poe until they crashed into each other. The pilot clutched his communicator, his eyes wide. "Something's going on at the prison. Jess sent me something, but it cut off..."

Rey grabbed the pilot's upper arm and dragged him with her. BB-8's panicked whirrs came behind them in a series of unintelligible beeps. "Your X-Wings running fine?"

"Yeah, but I only have BB-8. We'd need another droid."

Rey passed Teela and Sonzy's spar and veered toward the two ships. "Don't need one. We just need to get there fast."

"Master Solo, where are you…?"

Rey spared a glance over her shoulder to see Teela and Sonzy holding their blue and green lightsabers loosely. "They're in trouble. Stay here and keep the comms on." She climbed into the X-Wing and slammed the canopy shut above her as she initiated the start-up sequences.

She followed Poe's X-Wing into the air and far above the usual traffic of Coruscant. The exhaust ports flared white hot before it shot toward the west side of the city, and Rey punched her own ship to fly as fast as possible without going into hyperspace.

The powerful emotions that usually came from Kylo were quiet, and his presence remained subtle even as she neared the prison. Chewing the inside of her cheek, she focused the Force around their bond again. " _Kylo? Kylo, I'm coming."_ She waited several moments for no response.

Her hands trembled around the controls as adrenaline flooded her system.

Poe's ship slowed, and Rey nearly forgot to slow her own. The closed wings drifted dangerously close to each other, and she heard Poe's shout through the headset that lay across the combat controls. His ship surged ahead to allow them each room to land in front of Coruscant's prison.

The tall, spired building looked nearly the opposite of Agamar's famed penitentiary. The exterior of the building felt eerily calm as Rey jumped out of the X-Wing. Poe shot her a strange look and pulled a blaster pistol from his belt before he rushed toward the prison. Rey followed him and reached over her shoulder to grab her lightsaber, but her hand closed around air.

_Kriff._

Her fingers clenched together nervously, and she pulled on the Force to steel herself. She had seen Kylo fight with only the Force. She could feel his presence nearby, but it felt faint, surrounded by the Dark. Jessika's Force signature blazed bright within the building, and Rey could sense the Padawan's fear.

Rey pushed her hands apart to force open the doors. Poe raised the blaster pistol and slipped through the sliding doors. Rey paused by the door and froze as she took in the scene.

A Zabrak guard stood in the middle of the small entrance area next to two human females dressed in similar guard uniforms. Other guards surrounded them in a circle, exchanging fire with a flurry of blaster bolts. Rey caught sight of Jessika's yellow blade flashing behind the Zabrak's broad shoulders, deflecting fire aimed at the small group.

"We're gunna need a full squadron backup. Defected guards and a likely attempted prison break." Poe pressed flat against the wall, his voice quiet as he spoke to his communicator. "Yeah, ASAP. Master Solo is here; Ren is not in sight."

The pilot continued in a jumble of military jargon that Rey did not hear as her eyes locked onto a thin green Twi'lek leaning against a side wall. Kilnetel held a blaster rifle loosely at her side as she watched the turbolifts intently.

Fury that Rey usually associated with Kylo boiled in her chest as she made out the limp form of her husband at the Twi'lek's feet. She sprinted toward Kylo and shoved aside traitorous guards with the Force, ignoring Poe's call for her to stay back.

Her vision seemed to burn red.

Kilnetel's gaze turned lazily to face her, and her dark green lips pulled into a smile. The Twi'lek's hand twitched, and Rey felt the Force pull around her body to immobilize her. " _Two_ Jedi and a youngling for the First Order. This is much better than I could've hoped." She stepped slowly to Rey, seeming to savor her victory. "Ren was surprisingly easy to subdue. All it took was a kiss."

Rey wrenched back control of her body and threw Kilnetel to the floor with the Force. How _dare_ she touch her husband? Kylo belonged to _her_. She held out her hand, and her fingers closed around Kylo's thick lightsaber hilt. Alarm sparked through the Force from Kilnetel as the purple blade hummed to life.

Rey raised the saber and swung it with both hands. Kilnetel stepped out of the way, and Rey could tell she was trying not to let her fear show on her face. "Now, Master Solo, isn't rage how your husband fell to the Dark Side again?"

"He didn't _fall,_ " Rey ground out through gritted teeth. Kylo's saber weighed as much as hers, but the weight was concentrated in a smaller hilt. It was difficult to swing accurately. "But you will."

She adjusted her grip on the crossguarded hilt and pulled whatever experience she could from Kylo's unconscious side of their bond before she swung at the Twi'lek. The blade sizzled as it grazed Kilnetel's arm. The green woman hissed in pain and backed away, lifting her unused blaster rifle to shoot.

The bolt connected with the purple blade and fizzled out. Kilnetel continued to fire as Rey advanced, spinning the blade more comfortably in her hands with each block. Kilnetel's back hit the wall, and Rey threw her hand out to knock the blaster away from the Twi'lek with the Force.

Kilnetel pressed herself against the wall and produced something metal from her pocket. She extended her left arm and tossed it to the side. Rey raised the purple saber and allowed the blade to slice through the green arm before she had a chance to think.

The green Twi'lek let out a loud noise of shock, and she stared at the newly shortened limb. "You…"

"That wasn't very Light of you, _Master_."

Rey turned and raised Kylo's saber in time to catch Eeth's blue saber blade. She twisted the hilt and stepped backwards, swinging the lightsaber in an upward diagonal. Eeth's lips spread in a sneer, and he smashed his own blade hard against Rey's. She took a step back and darted to the side, feeling one of the small crossguards burn Eeth's side as she ducked under the Zabrak's arm.

Her eyes quickly appraised her surroundings. Reformed Republic reinforcements would arrive soon, but she had no doubt the First Order would, too. They did not know the firearm capabilities of the Order nor how many former Stormtroopers were actually still loyal to their enemies. If she could just wake Kylo, together they could beat back Eeth and the First Order.

Eeth took advantage of her distracted thoughts and stabbed his saber forward. It smashed into the healing wounds around her knee, and Rey buckled to the floor, pain shooting up to her hip. The Zabrak stood in front of Kylo's motionless form and pointed the end of his blue blade at the Jedi's shoulder. "Surrender, Solo, or he loses the arm."

Rey froze as she sensed the sincerity of Eeth's threat. She deactivated Kylo's blade and remained kneeling on the ground. "Eeth, you don't need to do this. You know the First Order only means to cause chaos in the galaxy." The Zabrak snorted and moved his humming blade closer to Kylo's shoulder. Rey raised her hand, shaking her head. "You've grown so much in the past month. Unnaturally so. It must've hurt. We can help you…"

A flicker of doubt crossed Eeth's face, and his lightsaber trembled as he hesitated. Rey sensed a confusion of emotions, and she set the crossguarded lightsaber on the floor before she got to her feet. She took a step toward the former Padawan, her hands raised in a gesture of peace.

Shouts rose up around them. Rey heard something crash, but she kept her attention on Eeth. They had not completely lost the Zabrak to the Dark. "We miss you. It'll be all right, Eeth."

Kylo's gloved hand suddenly grabbed Eeth's leg and wrenched him down to the floor. The Zabrak collapsed in a heap, and Kylo pulled himself up with help from the wall. His hand extended, and Rey felt the Dark Side thicken in the air as he froze Eeth.

Another crash sounded near them, and Rey finally turned to see Reformed Republic soldiers and First Order Stormtroopers had flooded the room. Jessika still fought with the prison guards, protecting one that had fallen. Poe stood shooting next to Finn and the other three Padawans, whose blue and green blades blurred around them. Rey felt absolutely no surprise that they had not followed her order to stay at Poe's home.

The tremble of the wall snapped Rey out of her thoughts, and she leapt away from it as it collapsed inwards. The tumbling debris buried nearby Stormtroopers and Republic soldiers, cutting into the circle surrounding Jessika and the guards. Through the newly made hole, a black shuttle ramp lowered, and officers bearing the sigil of the First Order emerged firing sleek blasters that sent members of the Republic forces flying across the room upon impact.

Several officers moved in a tight unit toward the colorful display of the Padawans' lightsabers near Finn and Poe. Rey threw pieces of the collapsed wall at them with the Force and watched one officer go down. She held her hand out to retrieve Kylo's lightsaber and took a step to help the Padawans, but agony laced up her injured knee.

Kylo raced passed her, and she tossed him the lightsaber as he jumped over the pile of rocks to reach the three Padawans. His purple blade cut through Stormtroopers in his way.

Rey heard movement behind her, and she raised her hands defensively as Eeth stood up. His dark eyes narrowed, and the Dark Side hummed in the air from both the Zabrak and Kylo.

Rey shoved back Eeth with the Force and pulled the Zabrak's lightsaber into her own hand. Eeth backed away, and Rey activated the saber and raised it toward him. Eeth's large hands raised in front of him. "Master – "

"Master Solo!"

Rey tumbled to the floor as Jessika's small frame crashed into hers. Eeth's lightsaber clattered nearby, and Rey looked over her shoulder to see Kilnetel press something over Jessika's face. The Padawan slumped.

Eeth snatched his lightsaber and grabbed Jessika's limp form, pulling her toward the First Order shuttle. Officers surrounded Kilnetel and followed the Zabrak. "Retreat!"

Rey scrambled to her feet. "Jess!"

She ran three steps before her knee gave out. Her eyes locked with Kylo's across the room. His saber ripped through the armor of a Stormtrooper, and they both raised their hands toward Eeth. The Zabrak slowed, but Rey could sense something wrong. Kaydel's earlier words resonated in Rey's mind, and she realized something was wrong with their bond.

Eeth climbed aboard the shuttle with Jessika, and the ramp began to rise as soon as Kilnetel's feet hit the metal. Kylo's shout echoed over the pandemonium of the battle, and Rey raced over the pile of rocks, ignoring the fire that burned up her leg. The shuttle began to lift even as its ramp still closed.

Rey launched herself into the air, using the Force to aid her height. Her fingers grappled the edge of the ramp for several terrifying seconds before she felt the Force steady her. She sensed Kylo's reassurance through their damaged bond. She pulled herself inside the shuttle just moments before the ramp clicked shut.

Rough hands immediately grabbed her arms, and Rey pushed at them with the Force. They let go for a brief moment before she felt something cold lock around her wrist. "Sir, one of them climbed aboard."

Rey felt the floor below her lurch, and the feeling in her stomach told her they had entered hyperspace. She looked up, expecting to see Eeth. Instead, the thin frame of Hux stood over her, obscuring all but a flash of Kilnetel's green skin.

The general's hands clasped behind his back, and a ginger eyebrow rose in amusement. "I didn't think that would work so quickly. But then again, the Jedi have a hero complex." He turned away, his boots clicking against the metal floor. "Knock her out and keep her away from the youngling."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Force this was a hard chapter. Again, sorry.


	25. Dread

_Bizz._

A familiar feeling of dread rose up Kylo's chest as he cast his gaze over the chaotic remnants of the battle. The Dark Side within him reveled at the victory. At the number of white-armored Stormtroopers his lightsaber had cut through. But he did not love battles. The sheer loss of life weighed at his stomach; the Force let him know of each life that passed. He preferred one-on-one combat where only two people would vie for strength. Where only two could get killed. And the _smell_ of battles. At least his old mask had filtered most of that out.

_Zap._

Kylo watched Sonzy push a pile of debris off a motionless prison guard with the Force. The Dark whispered that he could lift everything away and pull people to safety in minutes. But the Senators and emergency personnel did not want his Dark Side tainting more of the field as they worked. Several cast him wary glances. He was not sure how they even found out about the Dark within him, but at least he could still watch over the Padawans. Or most of them.

_Snap._

Kylo extended his arm and closed his hand into a fist. The sparking dead droid near him crumpled into pile of useless metal. He stared at it, knowing that Rey would see all the parts that could be salvaged. Turning away from the droid's crunched body, he looked up at Coruscant's night sky. The stars formed the outline of a cross like his lightsaber. Rey's favorite constellation.

His hand raked through his hair as his stomach twisted again. Their bond did not feel right. In any combat situation, they worked as one, augmenting each other's strengths and covering weaknesses. Their control of the Force was stronger than Snoke's when combined, but trying to stop Eeth had been… _strenuous._ As if the Dark Side was unwilling to ally with the Light to stop another user of the Dark.

"Hey. We've gotten everyone out and in emergency vehicles." Poe's weary voice broke Kylo's thoughts. "The death toll is… not pretty." The pilot plopped a hand on Kylo's shoulder, and he sensed the three Padawans approach. "Can you feel Rey?"

Kylo gave a slight shake of his head and glanced at Poe's X-Wings. Smoke rose from the engine of one. "The longer we wait, the further they'll get away from us." Kylo crossed his arms over his chest, feeling the Dark feed on his frustration. "Snoke was based in the outer reaches. It will be impossible to find them if their base is there."

Poe chewed on his lower lip and picked at his singed general's uniform. "The Senate has to approve a mission of that order, requisition supplies, get ships ready. And they're kind of in chaos right now. Kilnetel was well respected, and they're having a hard time believing that Coruscant could've been attacked so easily, even if it was just the prison."

Sonzy snorted next to Kylo and rubbed the tip of his right head tail nervously. "We already knew something was wrong with Kilnetel. And the Senate for that matter."

"Can't we just go? The Jedi Order isn't part of the Reformed Republic military," Teela said softly. "We don't need prior approval to go on missions."

Kylo raked a hand through his hair and closed his eyes for a moment. His head throbbed with the remains of whatever Kilnetel had used to knock him out. "Officially, we need approval for offensive missions. We are first and foremost peacekeepers."

The Dark whispered about the lie of peace. The people of the galaxy would always conflict because of their passions. The Jedi should not even try to resist the inevitable. Kylo curled his gloved hands into fists. Only two hours without Rey nearby, and he could feel the Dark poisoning his thoughts further. His fear for his wife and Padawan did not help.

A grin pulled at Finn's lips, and his hands moved to his hips to swipe back his faded brown jacket. "Then we'll go make peace with the First Order."

* * *

Rey kept her eyes closed, enjoying the welcome heat that touched her skin. The temperature was not as severe as Jakku's, but she usually needed four or five blankets, for Kylo got too warm. She wondered what the occasion was that made her husband raise the temperature.

A low hum reached her ears, and the ache in her shoulders pulled her out of the half-sleep stupor. Her eyes snapped open.

A blue field encircled her body in a cylinder, giving her only about a meter of room to move. That was, if she could move with her wrists chained together above her head. She pulled at the glowing cuffs and gritted her teeth as she pulled on the Force to open them. Rey let out a string of curses in various languages when they did not budge.

She reached out with the Force to sense anyone nearby and kicked the field around her in frustration as she felt nothing beyond the meter around her. Her foot bounced back, and she felt a string run up her leg as the field hissed. A flash of a memory she had once seen from Kylo reminded her of his imprisonment after the defeat of Snoke. At least her ankles were free.

"Okay, calm down." Rey took a deep breath and ignored the shudder that came with it. Jessika was likely in the same situation; she needed to get herself and the Padawan out before the First Order got any ideas. They almost took Kylo, which meant they probably wanted another Dark Side user. She could not let them do anything to the innocent Jessika, who had only gotten in the mess because Rey had not been paying close enough attention to her surroundings.

Rey gripped the chains holding her wrists up and lifted her feet off the floor, wrenching down as hard with all her strength. "Come on." She dropped her feet and shoved off the floor to propel herself into the air. She threw her weight hard toward the floor as she began to fall back dwon and heard the chains strain slightly with her pressure.

She sucked in a long breath and repeated the movement. The chains groaned softly, but she cursed. If she were built like the mountain Kylo was, breaking the chains with her body weight would be a snap. She almost laughed at the pun if not for the desperation that threatened to consume her mind.

Except Kylo likely would not try something so physical right away without his lightsaber. His extreme sensitivity to the Force made him more likely to use it first. It was why being blocked from the Force had affected him so much.

She compressed the Force around the chains and willed the pressure to increase around a single link. She held her breath and watched the chain imprison her arms unyieldingly over her head. She was about reevaluate her options when the link snapped, and she dropped to her knees. Her shoulders screamed in protest at the sudden movement, but she took several breaths and examined the humming field in front of her.

She opened her hand and picked up the broken chain with the Force to move it close to the field. The field hissed and sputtered as the first link touched it, but she continued to push against it with the Force. The metal began burning red, and Rey gave a shove with her hand. The first link burst open, but the following chain slipped through the field unharmed. She stopped threading the chain through and cursed as the link left within the field began glowing red-hot.

"Need some help, Master?"

Rey immediately dropped the chain in shock and turned to see Jessika standing in the open doorway. "How did you…?"

Jessika shrugged and walked along the wall, looking for the field's deactivation button. "Apparently they don't think I'm as dangerous as you." Her auburn hair fell loose out of its usual tight bun, although Rey could still see a small portion still clinging to the tie. One of her long sleeves had somehow gotten ripped off just past her elbow. "You know, being a lowly Padawan. They didn't chain me, but I see you're making quick work of that anyway."

She found the button hidden in the corner, and Rey stepped down from the short pedestal as the field disappeared. "But how'd you escape the field?"

A slight smile quirked at Jessika's lips, reminding Rey of Poe's cocky smirk. "I asked myself what Master Ren would do. So I gathered the Force around my hand like armor and managed to stick it through the field and press the button with the Force."

An angry red burn encircled Jessika's arm where her shortened sleeve ended, and her hand looked worse. Rey's heart skipped a beat, and she started toward it. Jessika shook her head and waved her good hand at Rey's cuffs. They fell with a heavy thunk to the floor, and Jessika beckoned to the door. "C'mon. There was some commotion going on earlier. Pretty much everyone was too distracted to notice a little mind trick to let me pass."

"Eeth will notice us soon if he hasn't already." Rey followed Jessika into the hallway and reached out with the Force to sense nearby enemies. "Did you find the ship bay?"

Jessika shook her head, and Rey noticed the Padawan holding her burned arm close to her side. "I only found you. There were some guards here, but I made them think that I was escaping down a different hallway."

Rey grabbed Jessika's upper arm and pulled her against the wall as she sensed two people walking down an adjoining hallway.

"Hux wants security as tight as possible. They'll be here in a few hours."

The two officers appeared at the junction of the two halls. Both tapped on datapads as they walked in step. "Can't believe how quickly Ren gave up. He's not even trying to sneak in here."

Rey took a slow breath and willed the officers not to seem them pressed against the wall. The first officer shrugged and glanced at his companion. "He is married. You don't know what ends you would go to for your wife, Jenkins. Besides, Hux doesn't believe what they said. Didn't you see the footage of those other Padawans fighting? And Skywalker is still around, no matter how hard he tries to stay out of the news."

The other officer, Jenkins, shook his head in disbelief. "Shame they're all blinded by the Republic. I'll get the Stormtroopers in position."

The officers parted, and Rey felt Jessika tense next to her as Jenkins turned straight toward them. He looked up from his datapad and stopped mid-step, his eyes widening at an almost comical rate. His jaw opened and shut like he had forgotten how to speak, and Rey reacted without thinking.

She jumped forward, grabbed Jenkin's datapad, and slammed the thin man against the wall with her forearm over his throat and her hand over his mouth. Rey lowered her voice and focused on the Force as she spoke. "I'm going to take my hand off your mouth, and you're going to tell me what you were just talking about."

The officer stared at Rey and gave as much of a nod as he could. Rey carefully peeled her hand away, and the officer sucked in a gulp of air before he screamed, "JEDI!"

* * *

Kylo ran his fingers over his lightsaber, feeling a small tracker in his belt press against his abdomen. The navigational system blipped, and Kylo pulled the _Millennium Falcon_ out of hyperspace. The nagging feeling of dread pulled at stomach again. He tightened his grip on the familiar, worn lever as a dusty red planet appeared in the viewport.

Finn whistled from the co-pilot's seat and tapped the communicator on his wrist. "Of course the First Order is on Geonosis."

"Rey was right." Kylo let out a slow breath and squeezed the pilot's controls. He was starting to regret flying the _Falcon;_ too many painful memories of his parents came with the ship. The time he had run aboard with his toy X-Wing and stuffed Ewok and heard Han arguing with Leia over the powers their son had begun to exhibit. Han teaching him to fly and castigating him when he tried using the Force to make things easier.

But the _Falcon_ had the fastest hyperdrive thanks to his father's not-so-legal modifications. And Rey and Jessika's wellbeing rested on speed.

The _Falcon_ shot into the atmosphere of Geonosis, and Kylo avoided a jutting spire of rock as the ship rapidly dropped toward the planet's surface. Finn pointed to what looked like the formation of a mountain. "There."

The pulse of energy that vibrated through the Force hit Kylo in waves, and he struggled not to let it overwhelm him. He had not felt anything so dark since –

"Ren!"

Kylo's eyes snapped open, and he jerked the _Falcon_ into a spin to avoid another rock formation. He clutched tightly to the controls as he landed the ship. Finn shot him a wild look, his eyes wide. "What the kriff was that, Ren?"

Kylo shook his head and kept his gaze trained on the outline of a large ship bay door etched into the red-orange colored mountain. "It's just… Something doesn't feel right."

"It's the First Order. Nothing is ever right with them." Finn snatched his blaster and strode out of the cockpit. Kylo pretended he did not hear the former Stormtrooper's deep breath before they both exited the _Falcon._ Kylo listened to their footsteps scrape against the dirt, and he wrapped his gloved hand around the lightsaber hilt at his belt as the ship bay doors lurched to the side.

Hux's familiar ramrod straight form marched from the doors flanked by two officers and four white armored Stormtroopers. Kylo stopped in his tracks and held his hand out to stop Finn. "He doesn't have them with him."

Finn gave a barely imperceptible nod. "I know."

It took several minutes for Hux to cross the distance, and his light brown eyes cast over Kylo carefully. "You're early. I'm surprised your Jedi entourage is not with you."

Kylo crossed his arms over his chest, feeling the Dark swirling wildly inside him with the energy of the planet. "You did say you'd only trade if no other Jedi showed up."

The corner of Hux's thin lips quirked up. "I didn't exactly expect you to keep your word, Ren. After all, you do have a record of betrayal." His head tipped to the side, and the two officers moved forward. "Take him."

Kylo took a step back and held up his gloved hand. The Dark seemed to hum within him at the prospect of a fight. "We agreed on a trade, Hux. I don't even see Rey and Jessika."

"You know, I was more than willing to give up the little youngling." Hux's hand brushed over the blaster pistol at his belt as he clasped his hands behind his back. "Until she managed to break out within an hour. I think the Supreme Leader would be more than happy to visit with her."

Finn made several unintelligible noises while Kylo's heart nearly stopped. He felt the officers' hands close around his upper arms, and the Dark shoved out to throw them back. The Stormtroopers each fired, and he barely needed to concentrate to freeze the bolts mid shot. He advanced on Hux, whose face twitched to betray his fear. "Let them go."

Hux's eyes darted to the hovering bolts, and Kylo could see the retort rising in the general's throat before the two X-Wings roared behind the redhead. The Starfighters' laser cannons unleashed a barrage of fire through the open ship bay doors. The blaster cannon of the _Millennium Falcon_ whirred to life before joining the onslaught.

Hux's face contorted in rage, and he snatched his blaster pistol. "You went against your word."

"So did you." Kylo knocked the pistol away from the general with a twitch of his hand. "But like you said, I do have a record of betrayal."

Hux ducked under the purple blade as it activated in Kylo's hand, and he darted behind one of the Stormtroopers for cover. Kylo deflected the trooper's fire and ripped his lightsaber through the white armor without a second thought. He raised the saber toward Hux, prepared to freeze the thin man to finish him off when Finn's voice rang over the chaotic sounds of battle. "Rey! Jessika!"

Kylo stopped to see the outlines of his wife and Padawan moving slowly through the rising red dust of Geonosis. Teela's blue blade announced her presence as she raced from the _Falcon_ toward Rey and Jessika. Kylo took a step to join her but fell to the ground as a sharp pain rose in his healing side.

He caught himself from hitting his chin against the ground with the Force and looked up to see Hux holding his blaster at his head. "I should have killed your whore like I did your mother."

The Dark flared hot within Kylo, and he hardly registered his hand closing around his fallen lightsaber. But he fully registered the immense satisfaction he got as he threw Hux to the ground with the Force and drove his blade through the general's chest.

"Now, that wasn't very Jedi-like, Master Ren."

An all-too familiar touch lingered on his back for a moment, and Kylo turned with his saber poised to kill again. He froze as Kilnetel smiled at him from behind a squirming Jessika. A metal arm clamped over the Padawan's mouth, and blood dripped from a blaster wound on Jessika's leg. The Twi'lek's free green hand raised. "Ah, ah. Don't want the little youngling hurt, do you?"

Kylo's arm slowly lowered, and Jessika's head shook rapidly. The Dark Side pushed against Kilnetel's hold on the Padawan, but she seemed to repel him with pulsing energy. He saw Sonzy move toward them, and Teela pulled a limping Rey onto the _Falcon._ Kylo set his lightsaber back at his belt. "Release her, and I'll go with you without a fight."

Kilnetel glanced at Sonzy's approaching form. The metal hand closed around his arm tightly to allow Jessika to drop to the ground. Sonzy darted forward and helped Jessika to her feet. He felt Kilnetel jerk him toward the mountainous base, and Sonzy moved toward him with his hand on his lightsaber. Kylo shook his head, watching Finn retreat toward the _Falcon._ "Get out of here. I'll be fine."

Sonzy hesitated and looked back at Jessika, who wobbled as she stood on her own. "Now, Sonzy. That's an order."

The Togruta grabbed Jessika before she began to fall and pulled her to the _Millennium Falcon._

Kylo watched the X-Wings and the _Falcon_ rise into Geonosis's atmosphere as Kilnetel pulled him into the First Order's base with her intact hand on his lower back.


	26. Dark

Kylo allowed the med droid to float around his body as he folded his legs in front of him on the bed. The droid shuddered as it moved to scan his side, and a smirk pulled at his lips as it let out a noise akin to a nervous whine.

He closed his eyes and reached out with the Force, sensing the familiar presence of the Padawans. Rey's felt like a fuzzy presence in the back of his mind. They were too close to the First Order base for Kylo to risk running. He did not know what kind of cannons the base boasted, but they could easily shoot down the _Millennium Falcon,_ even with the ship's modified shields.

The med droid zoomed away as quickly as possible to a nearby staff member. Kylo straightened his back and glanced at Kilnetel. "Why is this necessary?"

The Twi'lek shrugged and waved her green hand in the air dismissively. "Can't have members of the First Order be in poor physical condition, can we?"

"I said I would come with you. I didn't say I would join the First Order." Kylo crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes flicking to his lightsaber lying on a table. "I was never an official member of the First Order as a Knight of Ren, and I never will be."

The medical staff member, a shorter than average female Kaminoan, cut off Kilnetel's retort and smiled amiably at Kylo before she looked down at her datapad. "There's a fairly severe injury in your left side."

Kylo felt the medical member with the Force, sensing her honest, caring nature. He could not fathom how kind people ended up working for the organization responsible for millions of deaths. He pressed his hand against his left side, feeling the ache he had been ignoring with the Force. "I've scarred there several times, and a piece of metal recently lodged in me."

The Kaminoan gave a nod and tapped on the datapad. "The droid detected that the wound was further irritated by your recent fighting. We have a bacta injection that can accelerate internal healing. It will require you sleep for a good twelve hours, but most are finding sleep preferable to an extended stay in the bacta tanks."

"Ren needs to be in top shape quickly. I can give him the injection later after I take him through some details." Kilnetel flashed a pretty smile to the Kaminoan. "Don't worry. I have medical training, and this way you don't have to take any responsibility for injecting our great asset."

The staff member hesitated for a moment, and Kylo sensed the Force thick in the air before she gave a quick nod. "Of course. I'll have the syringe and solution sent to your quarters, Admiral."

Kylo's eyebrows shot up as several objections came to mind. He decided he could fight the injection later and blurted, "Admiral? You're in command of the Navy?"

"We'll have plenty of time to talk later, Ren. Follow me."

She turned to the door, and Kylo let out a slow breath. He snatched his lightsaber from the table as he trailed after Kilnetel. "You do know you can't keep me here long. You couldn't even hold my Padawan for longer than an hour."

The Twi'lek spun sharply mid-step, and her green hand shot behind Kylo's belt before he could realize what she was doing. She removed as quickly and held up a small tracker. She passed it to her metal hand, and Kylo flinched involuntarily as it broke into pieces.

The metal fist suddenly lashed out and smashed against Kylo's face. He collapsed heavily onto the metal floor. The right side of his face throbbed, and as he brought his hand up touch it gingerly, he noticed dark liquid drip onto the black glove.

"The _kriff,_ Kilnetel!"

A green leg appeared in Kylo's line of vision, and he pulled himself to his knees. He pressed his gloved hand over his nose. It pulsed with his heartbeat, and he tasted blood as it reached his lips. The Dark Side pulled eagerly at the pain.

"That was for General Hux." Kilnetel crouched down in front of Kylo, and her eyes raked over him. "Shame to mark your face further, but I do admit it is rather attractive. Unfortunately, you're too valuable to the cause to do much more."

She reached out her real hand, but Kylo shoved it away with the Force. "Touch me again, and I'll finish what my _wife_ started."

Kilnetel hesitated for a moment before she crossed her arms over her chest. "You know, at first you were an ugly little obstacle. But then I noticed how uncomfortable you got with any public attention." A smirk pulled at her lips, and her eyes remained on his biceps for longer than appropriate. "It was so easy to divert any probes for Force sensitivity."

Kylo began pulling on the Force to stop his bleeding nose as he stood. "And why are you telling me this?"

The Twi'lek gave a small shrug and got to her feet, raising an eyebrow at Kylo. "Just to point out that you Jedi aren't as observant as you think you are. Now, I have a few things to show you."

Kylo started to argue but thought better of it. Rey would come for him, and he could overpower Kilnetel. But while he had the semi-welcome of the First Order, he might as well gather as much information about it as possible.

Kilnetel lead him through a maze of identical hallways. Officers did double-takes as they passed him, and Kylo answered their stares with a cold look. Internally, the Dark preened at the flinches and looks of fear that passed over their faces. He could crush their throats, crack their skulls, or do multitudes of horrible things to end their lives in a heartbeat. They were smart to be afraid of him.

He trailed the Twi'lek into a room full of screens displaying views of several planets. They walked past two black screens to stand in front of another showing a picture of several Twi'leks picking their way through a street of dilapidated buildings. Kylo's eyes flicked to the adjacent screen to show another picture of famished crops. "What is this?"

"Ryloth, my home world." Kilnetel's usually flirty tone was flat and soft. "The Reformed Republic is sworn to assist those in the alliance. Do you see what help they are to my people?"

Kylo looked to face her, reading anger mixed with sorrow from the Twi'lek. "You were a Senator. You were well placed to petition resources for Ryloth."

"And I did. It's why I became a Senator." Kilnetel turned with a flash of anger in her eyes. "They helped. For a time. But the planet is struggling. Drought has ravaged most of the landscape. The Republic deemed it a waste of resources. They decided that those who could pay for a shuttle could relocate to Kiros and form a colony near the Togruta." She gave a bitter bark of a laugh. "But many Twi'lek are farmers that only have enough to support themselves, not pay for a shuttle. Some families were desperate enough to leave to sell themselves into slavery. Others stayed." She gestured toward a third screen that depicted a suspended hose spraying water onto a field full of burgeoning green crops. "But the First Order sent help. In return, I offered my services."

Kylo stared at the screens silently. The Jedi had not been informed of Ryloth's predicament, for it was not a matter of violence. It was a matter of blatant disregard for a population's culture and for those too poor to leave an inhospitable planet. The Jedi – kriff, even the members of Finn's Stormtrooper program – could have volunteered to get the Twi'leks off-planet or assist in crop growing. But he had been too busy training new Padawans to notice a dying planet.

"There are several other planets experiencing similar problems. The Reformed Republic isn't a perfect system, no matter how hard Skywalker worked to create it." Kilnetel's green hand slipped onto Kylo's shoulder, and for once, he did not shake her off. "Why, even you know that. You just want to help, but no one ever trusted you." Her hand moved to his upper arm, and he finally ripped his eyes away from the view of the Twi'leks among the ruined buildings. "I see this has been a lot of information for you to take in. I think we should give you that injection, and I can finish showing you why you're here after you've slept."

Kylo followed Kilnetel numbly back into the hall and finally pulled his arm away from her grip. "Why was it necessary to break Hux out, then?"

The Twi'lek let out a long breath. "The Reformed Republic has attacked outposts built by the First Order that were attempts to make peace." A scowl twisted her dark green lips. "The Republic refuses to deal with the Order, but your uncle and wife might be more willing to negotiate now that you're here."

* * *

Rey closed her eyes and felt out for Kylo's familiar presence. Her probe met intense dark energy from the First Order's base, and she squeezed her eyes tightly. She could sense her husband's faint signature in the Force through the Dark. "There's something on that planet."

Finn's fingers brushed her knee, and she opened her eyes to watch him place a large bacta patch over her injured knee. She silently cursed Eeth's horns, for every time the injury began to get better, she managed to reopen it further. "We're all a little too beat up to be very effective at sneaking in."

Jessika's head poked around Sonzy's frame, where the Togruta was wrapping the arm she had stuck through the Force barrier. "I don't think we have much of a choice. From what I've read of the account at Snoke's base, that energy – or whatever that is – feels a lot like what was described. Master Ren's in trouble."

Teela slipped through the door to the cockpit and brushed some dust from her deep green skin. "The X-Wings are docking in the freight hold. What's the plan for getting Master Ren and finally taking down the First Order?"

Finn glanced at Jessika as he straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. "You said you saw Ren kill Hux?"

At the Padawan's nod, Rey flinched internally. Kylo hated taking life. He felt the loss in the Force more than he usually let on, not to mention it reminded him of being Snoke's pawn. The Resistance's attack upon Snoke's base had been a difficult day for him in more ways than one.

"They don't have their strategist anymore." Finn ran a hand over his face. "Sure, they probably have others, but Hux was brilliant. If we can manage to surprise them, to do something that they wouldn't expect the Jedi to do, we can catch them off-guard. They won't be able to adapt fast enough."

A door to Rey's left slid up, and Poe ducked through it, followed by Kaydel. "Does crashing an X-Wing into their base count as catching them off-guard?"

* * *

A loud boom sounded several floors above Kylo, and he lowered his head as dust fell from the ceiling. He remained close to the open door of Kilnetel's quarters, watching the Twi'lek reach for a box on a low table. The floor underneath him shook, and Kilnetel's comm chirped with two panicked voices overlapping each.

"We'll skip the injection."

Kylo stumbled before he caught his footing at Kilnetel's surprising strength when she snatched his arm. He made her hand to relinquish his arm with the Force. "I can walk on my own."

He barely caught Kilnetel's eyes roll as her metal hand clamped around his arm again. She pulled him through a door at the end of a nearby hall, and Kylo nearly tripped as she pulled him down a staircase.

The burst of dark energy hit him in waves as they descended the second flight of stairs. The Dark within him yearned for more of it, and Kylo pulled on his damaged bond to Rey to help push it down. "What is that?"

"You don't recognize it? I suppose being away from the Dark has taken you out of practice."

The stairs ended and opened into a small chamber with a high ceiling. In the middle, a black metallic box rested on a pedestal. Eeth knelt before it, his head thrown back. A silent expression of pain contorted his tattooed face. Kylo froze by the archway and threw Kilnetel to the side with the Force.

The Dark Side pulsed heavily within the room as he stepped inside. It seemed to weigh on his shoulders and seep into his heart, and he felt as if he would never feel the Light again as he moved to Eeth.

His former Padawan's eyes were closed, and Kylo sensed the Force flow thick between him and the box. He whirled to face Kilnetel. "What is this? What are you doing to him?"

A door slid over the archway as Kilnetel pulled herself to her feet. "Contrary to your merry band of Jedi's belief, you did not destroy the Supreme Leader. Merely his physical form." She stepped toward him languidly. "I'm sure you of all people can understand how _uncomfortable_ it is to be trapped in a box."

Kylo looked back to Eeth and shook his head as the realization dawned on him. "No. He's just a boy. Snoke can't just _take_ his body."

Kilnetel shrugged and stopped in front of Kylo, her green hand resting on his chest. "You're right. You are the Master, after all. Despite the extensive Force modifications, he is too young and inexperienced. But he's not entirely useless. The Supreme Leader can use his power to help with the transition."

Kylo's eyes flicked to Eeth's frozen form. "Transition? But you said – "

"He can't be used." Kilnetel gave a pretty smile. "But your power far exceeds his. And the Supreme Leader does much prefer a human body over a Zabrak."

Kylo raised his hand to shove the Twi'lek away from him, but her own fingers gripped his shirt tightly and pulled him close. Her lips met his in a vicious kiss that he immediately pushed away. Kilnetel grinned, and Kylo felt the Force push him backwards. His back hit the pedestal hard, and the air rushed out of his lungs.

Eeth slumped to the floor, and Kylo lashed out with the Force futilely as clouds of black smoke shot from the box and wrapped around his body.

"Goodbye, Kylo Ren."


	27. Break

Teela's green hands, Sonzy's orange ones, and Jessika's one good hand rose into the air next to Rey's. The Force condensed around them, and Rey's stomach twisted as she watched a small blonde figure fall from the speeding X-Wing. She focused all her will around slowing the plunging Padawan. Red dust exploded around them as the X-Wing impacted against the side of the large rock formation housing the First Order. Rey inhaled the dust and squeezed her eyes shut, feeling her focus waver.

"Kaydel, you all right?"

The sounds of the Padawan's cough came through Rey's comm, and a small voice croaked, "You set me down fine. I'm good."

Rey nodded to Finn and the Padawans, and they rushed to the newly created hole. Kaydel joined them, her body and clothes caked in a thick layer of dirt. Rey caught a glimpse of a scraped palm as Kaydel brushed hair out of her face, and the petite Padawan walked with a minor limp.

They bounded over the debris and passed the smoking ship. Poe had said the X-Wing had taken irreparable damage, but she could tell the hyperdrive would still work along with the engine cooler. Her foot hit a sharp rock, knocking her out of the habit of cataloguing the good pieces of the ship. They needed to get as far inside as possible before the First Order swarmed the site. Salvaging Kylo was more important than a ship.

She grabbed her saberstaff from her back, sent a silent thanks to Kylo for having it on the _Falcon,_ and kept a tight grip on it as she trailed after Finn. The former Stormtrooper held his wrist up, looking at a holoprojection of the base. Poe had made a modification to the _Millennium Falcon_ to allow it to scan foreign objects. They only could see the first few floors, but it would be enough to get them inside.

Finn beckoned with a rapid wave of his hand, and they quickly piled into an adjacent hallway. A few seconds later, a crowd of First Order members raced passed the hall to the site of the X-Wing impact. Finn peered around the corner, and they followed him at a jog along the edge of the hall, occasionally hiding in adjacent rooms or corridors as they sensed other members moving to the attack site.

The holo zoomed out to show a blinking dot several floors below the scanned floor plan. Rey raised an eyebrow. "That looks like a tracking beacon."

Finn grinned broadly. "We knew a tracker would be detected. So we put an obvious one behind Ren's belt and another in his lightsaber."

Rey matched Finn's grin. No matter how much she trained or went through ordeals like fighting Snoke, Kylo always had more experience that caused him to be prepared for different situations. She was glad she had him on her side.

A patrol of Stormtroopers jogged down a hall they were using to hide, and Rey focused her attention on them, willing them to completely ignore the intruders. One helmet started to turn toward them but immediately snapped forward again when Sonzy's hand rose.

They reached what Finn's holoprojection told them was a staircase, and Rey reached out with the Force to sense for anyone within the stairwell. She let out an audible cry as the Dark Side smashed against her from the bond with Kylo. Sharp pain shot up her knees as she hit the metal floor. An uncomfortable presence raced along the bond, and she looked up at the worried faces of the Padawans with blurred vision. "Kylo…"

Gasps escaped each of their lips, and she knew that they could feel the Dark Side thick in the air around them. Jessika wrenched open the door to the stairs with her good hand. "It's worse through here."

Rey felt a flare of Kylo's energy brush against her through the bond, and she latched onto it, desperate for anything from her husband. Pain burst from somewhere she could not pinpoint. "He needs us…"

She vaguely noticed Finn pull her arm around his shoulders. Her feet could not seem to work as he began carrying her down the stairs. Teela and Sonzy moved in front of them while Jessika and Kaydel trailed behind.

Kylo's presence began to fade, and Rey pushed forward with the Force, stubbornly grabbing onto his mind. A foreign feeling brushed against her, and she nearly recoiled completely away from Kylo as she felt the overwhelming darkness that she never knew her husband was capable of.

_Rey._

"It's locked shut."

Rey's eyes fluttered open to see the four Padawans standing in front of a thick door. Finn adjusted her arm around his shoulders and sent her a worried look. "Are you all right?"

A lie bubbled in her throat before Rey forced it back and shook her head. "Something's happening." She took her arm off Finn's shoulders and steadied herself on her feet as she gripped her lightsaber. "We can cut through the door."

Sonzy's and Kaydel's green sabers hummed to life, and they forced them through the durasteel door next to each other. They arched them downwards slowly and turned their heads away to avoid the sparks as they cut a makeshift door. The sabers reached the floor, and Jessika shoved her uninjured hand forward. Teela jumped through the newly formed hole as the durasteel collapsed inward.

Rey followed with Sonzy and Kaydel, and Jessika, whose lightsaber had been taken when the First Order captured them, trailed with Finn. If not for the familiar feel of the Light in each of the Padawans, Rey would have fallen again. The former Stormtrooper was the only one who did not freeze as the Dark Side hit them.

She could not see Kylo, but something in the back of her mind told her that he was behind a cloud of black smoke. She raced toward it, reaching out with the Force for her husband. His mind flickered like a broken light. She stopped centimeters from the cloud as she felt the strange presence.

_Help. Rey._

She reached her hand into the smoke, but her body went flying with the Force. She crashed against the wall and looked up with blurred vision to see Kilnetel standing protectively in front of the cloud. Finn raised his blaster and sent a rapid series of bolts toward the green form. The Twi'lek ducked away and threw Finn and the Padawans backward.

Rey felt Kylo's mind briefly touch hers again, and she liked over her shoulder to see the cloud of smoke vanish. Kylo lay motionless on the floor, his chest barely rising with shallow breaths. She ran to him, not caring about anything other than Kylo as she dropped to her knees next to her husband. "Kylo? Kylo, are you all right?"

His muscles spasmed, but his eyes remained closed. She felt out to their bond tentatively and paused. Kylo's familiar presence – his thoughts, temperament, everything that made him Kylo – was nowhere to be found. Instead, something dark and dominant touched her mind. _Snoke._

She recoiled and backed away on her feet. Kylo's body twitched again, and Rey stalked to Kilnetel with narrowed eyes. The Twi'lek turned to her, but Rey raised her hand and pinned her against the wall with the Force. She pressed her saberstaff over Kilnetel's throat and growled, "What did you do to him?"

Kilnetel sneered, and Rey felt the Dark Side batter against her hold over the green body she tightened her hold, allowing her fury help her. "He's fulfilling his purpose."

"I shouldn't've let you get away with just a lost arm." The twin blue blades activated. Rey titled the hilt to let one come dangerously close to the Twi'lek's jaw. A satisfying flicker of fear crossed Kilnetel's face. "You've caused too much harm."

She heard Kylo move behind her. "Rey."

His usually passionate voice was devoid of emotion with a flat, cold tone. The voice of Snoke using Kylo's vocal cords. Rey felt her heart break in her chest. Kilnetel slipped from her hold and crossed the short distance to stand next to Kylo, wrapping an arm around his waist.

Kylo's brown eyes looked almost black as he stared at her with an oddly cruel expression. "I see why you were Ren's greatest weakness." He looked down at his hands and flexed his fingers as if getting used to the length. "This Force bond is unfortunate." His lips curled into a harsh smile as Kilnetel's hand rested on his chest. "But the Dark is in you, _scavenger._ It seems he finally did his job in showing you its power. It is almost a shame to kill you and your friends."

His hand reached for the lightsaber at Kylo's hip, but it shuttered and flew through the air before he could stop it. Jessika's good hand wrapped around the hilt, and the purple blade ignited with a low hum. "Master Ren only lets people he likes use his saber."

The other three Padawans lined up next to her with their own blades out. Finn stood near the cut door, keeping his blaster aimed through the hole. Teela's blue lightsaber spun in her hand. "You'll never be worthy of him or his lightsaber."

Kaydel gave Kilnetel a thin smile. "Neither will you, _bitch._ "

"So get. Out," Sonzy growled.

Snoke barked out a heartless laugh through Kylo's mouth. "I don't need that tool to dispose of you. In fact, Ren knows of some deliciously creative uses of the Force to kill you with a single twitch." His black eyes met Rey's, and she felt the Dark Side pulse through the bond. "What shall it be, then, hm? A snap to your spinal column? A blockage to your brain? Or perhaps a rapid rise in body temperature?" He took a step toward Rey and lifted Kylo's hand lazily to shove away the Padawans as they approached. "They're all his ideas, not mine. Your _husband_ was not who you thought he was."

Kylo's gloved palm rose to Rey's eye level. She felt the Force constrict around her but noticed slight hesitation flicker across his face before it steeled. "He was much too powerful for you to hold him back."

Familiar fury shot through Rey, and she shoved back with a strength she had not known she had. Kylo's body dropped backwards onto the floor with a crack. Kilnetel took a step back in shock and raised her hands to defend herself. Rey felt the Force – the Dark Side – rise up within her. "Flirt with this." Her saberstaff sizzled when it cut through the Twi'lek.

She barely watched Kilnetel fall as she turned to Kylo. She rested her knee on his chest and held him down with the Force. "Kylo has more power than you'll ever know." Her fingertips touched Kylo's forehead, and she released her control of the Force into his mind.

The chaotic power of Snoke's consciousness flooded against hers, and Rey struggled not to let him overcome her. She pushed against the ancient being, forcing him to let go of control of Kylo's limbs.

_Any farther, and his heart stops beating._

Rey froze at the threat, and Snoke immediately threw her mind back. As she reached the edge of his mind, Kylo's consciousness latched onto hers through their bond. Relief flooded through her. She held onto him, sensing his desperation and fear. Their minds embraced each other, more connected and in sync than they had been in well over a month.

They pushed forward as one, and Snoke's presence retreated from their combined strength. She began to celebrate internally when Kylo's arm suddenly flew up and connected with the side of her face. She collapsed to the floor.

Snoke gave a laugh so unlike Kylo that Rey nearly ran her lightsaber through him. How _dare_ he use her husband, steal his body? He already did enough damage to Kylo's psyche that he was still recovering from. "I own Kylo Ren. He's always been mine, no matter what you foolish Jedi think."

Rey glanced at the four Padawans. Jessika nodded once, and each of their hands raised. Rey smiled at Snoke and held her own hand up. "His power doesn't come from you. Kylo's power comes from his family."

The Force invaded Snoke and Kylo's shared mind. Rey grabbed onto her husband's faint consciousness. Their power combined with the Padawans' Light. Together, they thrust Snoke and his darkness out of Kylo's body.

Rey watched black smoke exude out of Kylo's mouth and nose. It started to move toward Eeth's motionless form, but the Force constricted and trapped it in a sphere in the air. The Light compressed tightly. Rey gritted her teeth and willed the spirit of Snoke to die, to finally give Kylo peace.

The smoke seemed to crystallize and then shatter. Rey felt the pressure of the Dark Side leave her shoulders, and she felt a laugh of relief escape her lips. "He's… gone."

She looked over at her husband, ready to celebrate with him, but he lay motionless on the floor with his eyes closed. She shook his shoulder gently at first and then harder. "Kylo, wake up. Kylo. Kylo, he's gone. You're free." She could hardly feel him through the bond, and she noticed with a sinking stomach that his chest was stationary. Panic rose in her throat, and she brushed his dark hair out of his face. "You need to get up, Kylo."

She felt something wet on her face. Snoke could not destroy Kylo. Not after all they had gone through. They needed each other. The Padawans depended on him. They had not even gotten their honeymoon because of Snoke.

She leaned down and brushed her lips across his.

"Rey," came a soft whisper against her mouth. She felt their bond reform as Kylo's eyes fluttered open. His lips spread in a warm smile, wrinkling the corners of his eyes. "I knew you'd come."

He shifted, and Rey watched his body tremble with the movement. She helped him sit up. "The so-called Supreme Leader can't keep me away from you."

The four Padawans knelt next to Eeth, and Rey watched the Zabrak move slowly on the floor. Finn's voice echoed as he yelled across the room. "Poe says the First Order stopped their onslaught. Almost like a spell's been broken."

Rey grinned at Kylo and wrapped her arms around him. "Let's get you home."


	28. Reprieve

Rey adjusted the blanket around her shoulders and pulled her knees to her chest, feeling the cool durasteel of the chair against the bottoms of her bare feet. The rising sun painted oranges and pinks across the lightening sky, casting light over the city and the green of hills beyond it. The buildings were smaller than those of Coruscant's Galactic City, and small pockets of vegetation rose among areas Rey assumed were housing districts.

She took a sip of chav and cupped the mug in her palms. A breeze ruffled her loose hair, and she looked back through the transparisteel of the wide doors. Kylo's long form lay sprawled under the white bed covers, his dark hair poking out against the pillows. A smile tugged at her lips, and she took another long drink.

She pulled the blanket tighter and let out a long breath. Despite the growing light of the sun, the air did not feel any warmer than when she had first come onto the balcony to eat breakfast. She moved to the door and lifted her hand. The tray carrying her mug and crumbs of a pastry followed her through the transparisteel door and dropped with a soft clink on a table.

Rey shut the door with a wave of her hand and curled into the rumpled covers of the bed, poking her cold feet near the furnace heat of her husband's body. Kylo stirred and opened one eye, keeping the other pressed against the pillow. "Morning."

Rey grinned and lay down to line her face up with her husband's. "You promised to show me things today."

Kylo's eye shut for a moment, and he gave a tired groan as he propped himself on his elbows to glance at the chronometer next to the bed. "I did, but it's barely past six." He wrapped his arms around the pillow and pressed his face against it. His words muffled as he grumbled, "Why're you up so early?"

"The sun's up, and everything's so _green."_ Rey ignored the gushing tone her voice took. "Not bland sand or buildings all over the place. _Green,_ Kylo."

Kylo let a soft groan. "Is it too late for me to use the 'my body got hijacked' excuse to sleep longer?"

Rey paused. His mental exhaustion had been evident over their bond, and he had slept frequently for the two days they had been at Poe's house. Kylo gave a soft smile and sat up, pulling Rey close to him. "It's okay. I'm fine." He rested his chin on top of Rey's head. "You've been avoiding that topic since we left the hospital."

"I don't really know what to say." Rey let out a slow sigh and felt Kylo's comfort through their bond. The fears blurted out of her mouth after days of keeping them inside to spare Kylo. "You… You weren't _you._ That look on your face, you next to _Kilnetel,_ what Snoke said about your knowledge of killing with the Force. And I know that was all him," Rey interrupted the start of Kylo's protest, "but I thought I'd lost you. I nearly ran my lightsaber through you."

Kylo's arms tightened around her. "I'm glad you didn't."

Rey wrapped her hands around Kylo's forearm and rested her head on them. After a moment of comfortable silence, she whispered, "We reconnected through the Dark Side."

Kylo's free hand brushed against the bare skin of her arm, and he cleared his throat. "But can you feel it now?"

Rey concentrated on the bond that she had been afraid to fully focus on since Geonosis. She expected to feel the Dark pulse from Kylo and herself. Instead, she felt a strange, and yet familiar, balance. "We're… both in grey."

Rey felt her husband's smile before she saw it. "I didn't want to mention it until I was sure, especially because I haven't directly worked with the Padawans since everything happened." He paused for a moment as if searching for his next words. "I think our contact with their Light to fight Snoke brought us closer to the middle."

"Shouldn't we tell them that? They might be confused, especially if they've moved to the grey, too."

Kylo gave a soft laugh and pressed a light kiss to Rey's lips. "I'm sure Jessika's already figured it out." He untangled himself from the covers and stood with a stretch. "Now, I do believe I promised to show you Naboo today."

"Aren't we going to see the sea?" Rey shouted over the air whipping past her ears and mouth. Loose strands of her hair flew into her eyes as the speeder darted through the traffic of Theed, the capital of Naboo.

Kylo's head turned to look at her for a moment before he swerved to avoid a large, four seat speeder carrying three exotically dressed women. "We're going to see somewhere better."

Rey nodded and squeezed her arms around Kylo's middle, blinking away wind-induced tears as she took in the city speeding past them. Buildings with rounded roofs characteristic of Theed became sparse, revealing more of the green flora and tall trees that she loved.

Kylo's muscles tensed under her hands, and she leaned with him as the small speeder turned sharply toward a thick set of trees. A tiny house with a bright blue door nestled against the first few trees, and a tall Gungan stood with his arm around a smiling human woman. Two younglings ran among some high flowers.

Rey twisted in her seat to watch them until the trees obscured the house. She rested her head on Kylo's back, feeling an absurd grin spread across her face. Kylo's sides shook lightly with a laugh, and she felt his rare joy across the bond. She held onto her husband tighter, savoring the moment between them.

Kylo soon brought the speeder to a halt and wrapped one of his hands around Rey's. She felt the warm metal of his wedding ring against her skin. "It'll probably be awkward to get off with you clutching my waist."

Rey lifted her head, and her grip immediately slackened as she took in their surroundings. A wide expanse of deep green grass gave way to a wide lake. Roaring waterfalls fed the body of water from a plateau that spanned most of the visible horizon. Green plants climbed up the sides of the plateau. Rey stood from the speeder and took a step toward the lake. "Oh, Kylo."

The corners of Kylo's eyes wrinkled from a wide smile. "Go on."

Rey slipped off her soft boots and tossed them haphazardly near the speeder before she took off through the grass. The blades tickled the underside of her feet, and she stopped by the edge of the lake to determine how deep the lake was. Seeing the floor fairly close, she splashed into the water, washing off the dirt her feet had collected. She kicked at the water as it lapped at her thighs and looked back to watch Kylo make his way through the grass with a bag in his hand. His lightsaber glinted at his side in the bright sunlight.

"Come in!"

Kylo set the bag on the ground and crossed his arms over his chest, watching Rey with a grin. "The last time we were by a lake, I used the Force to not go in. I'm fine out here."

Rey knew from the immediate change in Kylo's expression that he sensed her mischievous thought. Before he had a chance to stop her, she yanked him into the water with the Force. He plunged into the lake, and Rey laughed as the resulting splash hit her face.

Kylo emerged from the water and pushed back the dark hair sticking to his face. He unclipped his lightsaber from his belt and tossed it next to the bag he had left on the ground. He then turned back to Rey, a grin calmly tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You'll regret that."

Rey let out a shriek as the water around him rose with a flick of his hand knocked her into the water. She grabbed his knee from below the surface and dragged him down before she gasped for air and grabbed the grassy edge. She watched Kylo's head come back up and splashed him again. "You know I can't swim!"

Kylo barked out a laugh and waded over to her, wiping water from his eyes. "You did pull me in." He pulled himself out of the water and looked down at the soaked clothes clinging to his body. "I think I might have to have a training session with the Padawans in water."

Rey smiled and flopped onto the ground, her feet skimming the water as she watched Kylo. "It's only been a day without them, and you're already thinking about their training again?"

Kylo pulled off his shirt and wrung it out over the water. "Didn't you say they're part of my family?"

Rey propped herself up on her elbows. "I'm just happy for you. After Leia passed, you would hardly speak to anyone." Kylo spread his damp shirt across the grass, pointedly not looking at Rey. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing a kiss to his neck. "I think she would be happy, too, that you've got so many people who love you enough to take on Snoke to get you back."

Kylo turned to her with an unreadable expression and a jumble of emotions through their bond. For a moment, Rey thought he was angry for bringing up the subject of his mother, but his mouth covered hers in a kiss that sent a current through her body. His hand moved to cup her cheek, and he pulled her closer with his other hand. Rey opened her mouth with a soft groan but pulled away as she heard the chirp of a communicator.

Kylo let out a long sigh and rested his forehead against Rey's. He kissed her briefly, and the communicator chirped again. He reached for the bag and pulled out a round holocomm. "Sorry. I asked Poe to call if there was any change in Eeth."

Rey pressed her lips against the scar running across Kylo's nose. "It's fine."

Kylo pressed the communicator, and Poe's grinning face projected in flickering blue. "Hey, lovebirds. How's the honeymoon?"

"Would be better if you didn't kill mood," Rey said dryly as she wrapped her hand around Kylo's free one.

"Ah, my timing is wonderful, then." Poe flashed a characteristic smirk. "Sorry for the interruption of your… swim? You look wet. But Eeth woke up a few hours ago. The med droids say he's physically fine, but I'll pass this to Jess for the mystical mojo stuff."

The holo image shook and briefly showed the sink of Poe's kitchen before Jessika smiled sheepishly at them. "Hi, Masters." The muffled sound of what sounded like Sonzy's voice filtered through the comm. "No, they're on vacation. We're already bothering them." Jessika cleared her throat and turned her attention back to the comm. "Sorry. We didn't want to bother you at all, but Master Skywalker knew you were worried. The Force in Eeth is… gone. It's like his powers have been completely suppressed."

Kylo's hand tightened around Rey's. "Can you sense him at all?"

Jessika paused to glance at what Rey presumed was the other Padawans. "You said once that everyone has varying levels of signatures in the Force? It's just like he's a normal person with a really weak signature."

Rey exchanged a look with Kylo. "What did Master Skywalker say?"

"He thinks that Snoke basically took it, but since he wasn't there, he's going to trust your opinion when you get back."

Kylo nodded slowly and ran his hand through his wet hair. "Has Eeth said anything?"

Jessika's blue image flickered, and her expression turned grim. Rey wished she was in the same room as the Padawan to sense her emotions. "Not much. One of the hospital staff said he asked about his family."

Rey stopped to think about the families of the Padawans. Obviously, Jessika had Finn and Poe. She thought that Sonzy had mentioned a sister, but she had not worked with Eeth or Teela long enough to remember their families. Kylo seemed to sense her confusion and murmured, "He left his mother and two brothers on Iridonia."

The holo image jumbled again, and Poe's face reappeared. "I was going to wait with this news after you got back, but _someone,"_ he looked pointedly to his right where Rey assumed Jessika was, "already started letting the bolts out of the bag." Poe sighed and chewed his lower lip. "We swept the entire First Order complex. Eeth's family were being held there."

Rey did not need the Force to understand something about the finding had made the pilot uncomfortable. Poe pinched the bridge of his nose. "His brothers were both pretty emaciated, but his mother…"

"Dead," Kylo finished softly. Rey felt her husband's anger and sorrow, and she squeezed his hand. "I'm guessing they were held to force Eeth into helping them?"

Poe gave a brief nod. "Yeah. The boys will be fine with a careful diet. Look, I'm sorry to unload all that on your honeymoon. We'll keep you updated if you want, but you two need this break after all this. We've got everything handled. Go back and be in love, all right?"

Rey gave Poe a smile. "We know you do. We'll see you next week. Thanks, Poe." The holo image flicked and bleeped as it shut off. She took the comm from Kylo's hand and tossed it into the bag. "Don't even think about it."

Kylo's eyebrows pulled together. "What?"

Rey crossed her arms over her chest. "If you even think about going back today, I will push you in the lake again."

"I should be there for – "

"No." Rey raised her hand to cut Kylo off. "We've waited months for this trip, and you're not calling it off after only a day." She lowered her hand to take Kylo's, brushing her thumb over the silver band around his ring finger. "Besides, you've trained the Padawans well. They'll be fine for a few more days."

Kylo gave half smile and squeezed her hand, and Rey felt some fondness through the bond replace his worry. "They're still young, but I think they're ready for the rank of Knight."

Rey expected to feel surprised, but she found a grin spreading across her face. "They did go through a lot. They don't need any trials to prove themselves."

"They'll still have some studies, and they wouldn't take missions alone right away, but they've improved immensely." Kylo wrapped his free arm around Rey as she shivered in a breeze. "And Luke is moving the younglings back into the school. There's enough room for all of us, including four new Jedi Knights."

Rey let out a laugh and pulled the bag into her hand with the Force. "You don't need to convince me. I'm sure Luke would be on board, and it'd be nice to get back to working with younglings. Our new Knights could help, too."

She rummaged through the bag and found Kylo had only packed desserts. She picked the one that looked the sweetest and opened the packaging, dipping her finger into it and licking off a chocolate substance. She felt Kylo's laugh vibrate in his chest, and he did the same.

"The Jedi Order wouldn't be spread so thin." He paused for a moment and rested his head against Rey's shoulder. His next words came quieter, and she felt his uncertainty. "We would be able to start a family."

Rey's heart leapt in her chest. She moved to look at Kylo in shock, even though his sincerity came across their bond. "Are you sure?"

Kylo pressed a kiss to Rey's jawline. "I, ah, spent some time with Arian when you were playing sabacc with Finn the other night."

Rey felt her hopes rising, and she raised a hand to run it through her husband's damp hair. "What about the Senate? How others would treat our child?"

Kylo gave a short laugh and shrugged, a genuine smile lighting up his face. "Kriff the Senate."

Rey tried kissing Kylo but could not stop grinning. "Dear stars, I love you."

**AN: And they** **finally** **get their honeymoon. Stay tuned for one last chapter! Thank you so, so much for reading!**


	29. Calm

Small hands clutched the tiny figures of a Wookiee and a clone. They danced across the floor with quiet taps, but the boy holding them made full sound effects to bring their battle to life. The Wookie climbed the leg of the table and shot down at the white figure with _pew pews._

"Ben, honey, please quiet down," his mother asked from a nearby chair.

He let out a short huff and imagined the Stormtrooper asking to team up with the Wookie to bring down the Empire together. They ran a mission together through the treacherous fuzz of the carpet. The sounds in his mind of an ambush soon reached his lips as he forgot about his mother's meeting with a visiting dignitary.

"Why don't you go clean up your room, Ben." Exasperation laced Leia's voice, and, knowing the tone from her fights with Han, Ben shuffled to his room with the Wookie and Stormtrooper flying beside him in pretend speeders.

Looking over the toys and clothes scattered across the room, he lifted his hand as he had once seen his uncle do. The toys elevated from the floor and hovered in the air. His broad grin reflected in the mirror on the wall next to him. The toys flew in the air and landed in a pile next to the small dresser built into the wall. Next, the clothes jumped into the air.

"Ben?"

The clothes dropped into a heap. He turned to find his mother smiling at him. She looked older, as if nearly thirty years had passed in the few moments he had experimented with his strange powers.

"Oh, how've you grown." Leia's arms wrapped around him, and he suddenly realized the top of her head only made it to the middle of his chest. He glanced in the mirror again to see he, too, had aged thirty years. He stood tall, clad in grey and black, and a strangely familiar scar marred his tired face. His mother's thumb gently ran over the damaged skin. "My son. My Ben."

"Mother…?" Kylo's hand wrapped around Leia's. He could not understand why he had not already woken up, but for once he was glad he was still in his dream.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry for sending you away." Tears filled Leia's earnest eyes. "You wouldn't've fallen to Snoke if you hadn't felt abandoned."

Despite the sorrow in her voice, Kylo felt a small smile pull at his lips. "Force knows I would've fallen eventually. I was meant to, if only to cross paths with Rey."

Leia smiled past the tears that fell down her face. "I wanted to let you know that I'm proud of you and the life you've built."

"But this is – "

"A dream, yes. But I am still very much real." Leia stepped back to survey his frame, her hands resting on Kylo's upper arms. "You know the Force clings to its users. I've been watching you surround yourself with family."

A strange emotion bubbled up in Kylo's chest, and a lump formed in his throat. His mother knew. She knew he had gotten out of the Dark Side, that he had helped defeat Snoke. She knew he had fallen in love with Rey. "Mom…" He wrapped his arms around her before he could stop himself and felt something wet on his face. "I'm sorry for the things I did."

"I know." Leia's voice muffled against his chest, and her hands ran comfortingly over his back like they had when he was small. "I know. You've done so much to rectify those mistakes." Her next words came as a whisper. "You're going to be a great father."

The tension in Kylo's shoulder released. She did not hate him; she still loved him. They remained silent in the embrace for several minutes. Leia's hands continued to rub his back gently, and Kylo cupped the back of her head, his fingers pressing into her simple hairstyle. Kylo swallowed past the lump and finally murmured, "I love you."

Leia's sides shook with a small laugh. "I know." She pressed a kiss to the side of his face, a wide smile lighting up her expression. "I love you, too, my son."

* * *

Kylo's eyes flickered open. The pillow felt wet under his eye, and he brought his hand up to the side of his face. The ghost of Leia's kiss still felt warm under the streak of tears. Sitting up in the bed, he watched Rey pulling on traditional Jedi robes.

"You all right?" Rey sat on the edge of the bed to yank on her shoes, her hair loose and damp around her face. She glanced at him and paused. Her alarm drifted through their bond, and her hand moved to brush away a tear. "Another nightmare? I didn't sense anything."

He shook his head and felt a small laugh escape his lips. He felt… _relieved._ Joyful, even. Rey grinned and joined his laughter. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

Kylo wrapped an arm around her. "Of course not. You're beautiful." He kissed his wife briefly. "My mother visited my dream."

Rey's eyebrows shot up, and her grin grew wider. "You talked with Leia?" At his nod, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "You got to reconcile things with her. No wonder you're so happy."

Kylo laughed softly and kissed Rey again. He ran a hand through her loose hair and pressed his palm to her stomach, unable to keep the smile from his face. "How're you feeling?"

Rey shrugged and rested her hand over Kylo's. "Better than yesterday. It just feels so strange." Her voice dropped with the last sentence, as if she were confiding a secret to him.

Kylo laughed softly and nodded, pressing a kiss to Rey's forehead. "You're starting to show."

"We could start telling people now," Rey said with a laugh. "This has been so hard to keep from Finn and Poe."

"We've made it this far. I think we've waited long enough." The first few months had been challenging. With Rey's history of malnutrition, especially during her adolescence, the med droids had been concerned she would be unable to carry a child. They rarely saw Finn and Poe since moving back to the Jedi school, and they both missed the support the two provided. Kylo stood to begin changing out of his sleeping attire. "Jessika suspects. She doesn't even try to hide her suspicions whenever she's around us."

"Of course she does. She reads everything her datapad can access. No doubt she read what signs identify a pregnant woman after we got back from Naboo." Rey stood and tugged lightly at her clothes in an attempt to hide the gentle swell in her belly.

Kylo watched her pull her hair back into her customary buns as he slipped on an undershirt. "You could wear a cloak. It's getting colder these days anyway."

"It's not like the younglings will notice or know much. I told one yesterday that I was eating too many of those pastries Poe always buys, which is true anyway." Rey smiled at Kylo and slung her lightsaber across her back. "You've got that Senate gathering today, right?"

Kylo rolled his eyes and rested his hands on Rey's sides. "Yes. You sure you can't come with me?"

Rey ran her hands lightly over Kylo's arms. "I'm taking the younglings to the Old Temple in honor of the Jedi Purge anniversary. I would have Luke take them, but he's off on that visit to Kiros with Jessika."

Kylo internally cursed Luke for his spectacular timing. "I'll take Teela with me. She seems to have a knack for getting the Senators to listen. Plus, I think some Mirialans will be there." He grabbed his lightsaber from where it rested next to the bed and gave an obviously fake smile. "Got to show the public that the Jedi support the new policies to better support Republic planets. I'll duck out as soon as possible to meet you for dinner."

"Remember that Poe invited us to eat at his place tonight." Rey led Kylo through their small sitting room and opened the door, revealing the warmly lit hall of the new Jedi school. He curled his hand around his wife's small hand, unable to keep a ludicrous smile off his face.

They descended a flight of stairs together, and Kylo expected to hear the usual chaotic sounds of the younglings waiting for Rey to start their lesson. Instead, the hall was strangely silent. Peering into the room where the older younglings usually gathered, he and Rey both paused in surprise to see the six younglings sitting quietly on the floor, their legs crossed and eyes closed as they breathed steadily. Sonzy sat in front of them in a similar pose. Without opening his eyes, the Togruta said clearly, "Did you sense the Masters approaching?"

Several of the younglings opened their eyes and jumped as they saw Rey and Kylo in the doorway. Sonzy gave a soft chuckle and stood, clasping his hands in front of him. "It's important to focus on the Force while meditating, and you must always stay aware of your surroundings and who is around you." He nodded to Rey and Kylo and pulled his brown robe close around him. "I was afraid they'd wake you upstairs with their noise, so I thought a bit of mediation would do them some good."

"I remember when it was you making all that noise with Jessika and Kaydel," Rey laughed and beamed at Sonzy. "Maybe you can come help me with them today."

Sonzy's eyes flicked to his left. "I'd love to, but I've got to, ah, visit Eeth today. The droids say he's doing better." He cleared his throat nervously. "Yeah. Well, bye."

The Togruta excused himself quickly, and Kylo exchanged a look with Rey. His wife arched an eyebrow, and he could sense her suspicion. "What's he hiding?"

Kylo shook his head and kept part of his attention on Sonzy's signature in the Force in case he gave something away as he walked. "No idea." He pressed a quick kiss on Rey's cheek. "I'll see you this evening."

Kylo took a sip from the tiny mug and grimaced as the lukewarm caf washed over his mouth. Of course the Senate could not supply good caf for painful gatherings he was obliged to attend.

He surveyed the crowd carefully, feeling out with the Force for any changes or the presence of someone who should not be there. A lifetime of being wary kept him in the habit of checking for unusual disturbances, but the past five months had been the most peaceful he had ever experienced. The Force felt _right_ without Snoke in the galaxy to mess it up.

Teela stood nearby, her hands moving animatedly as she spoke with a group of Mirialans. One pointed to her lightsaber, and she met Kylo's gaze for a moment, flashing a broad smile. She had added to the tattoos on her face since earning the rank of Jedi Knight; small diamonds swept over the deep green skin of her nose to connect the clusters of diamonds under each eye.

Kylo took another drink of the caf and decided he did not need to endure any more of the stuff. He set the cup down discretely on the back corner of a nearby table.

"Rule number one of Senate gatherings: unless the caf is unbearably hot so as to scald off your tastebuds, avoid it at all costs." A smooth, deep voice belonging to a blue-skinned Twil'lek sounded next to him.

"I just found that out." Kylo reached out a hand to shake the Twi'lek's. "It's been a while, Tomsega."

Tomsega grasped his hand, and Kylo took a moment to analyze the Senator's Force sensitivity through the skin contact. Most of the Senators had low levels, but he checked whenever he could since Kilnetel had hidden for so long. The blue Twi'lek nodded in Teela's direction as he let go of Kylo's hand. "She seems to have a knack of political small talk."

A Neimoidian Senator stood in front of Teela, and Kylo caught a few of her words about the recent missions the Jedi had taken part in to quell the disruptions the First Order had caused. None had been as violent as they once were. Kylo was glad that they had not resulted in creating more orphans like Arian.

As Teela laughed, Tomsega spoke again, his voice quieter than before. "You know, I was thinking of putting forth a petition to get the Jedi Order representation in the Senate. I was going to ask you due to your experience, but I know how you must feel toward us after all of those hearings. I think your talents are far better suited to teaching anyway rather than stuck in stuffy Senate meetings." His eyes followed Teela as she made her way over to another Senator. "I'd like to see if she would be up for the task."

Kylo studied Teela for a moment. His former Padawan had grown into herself since the timid young girl that had once allowed Eeth to initially overshadow her in training. She was level-headed but knew when to raise her voice, not to mention determined, especially with her fellow Knights by her side. He nodded slowly. "I'll ask her if she's interested."

"Excellent. I do hope this will dispel any remaining mistrust, although your actions in saving several Senators' lives, especially those at Agamar, have helped." Tomsega gave a soft snort and shook his head. "Kilnetel's fearmongering didn't help, but there's been a tangible improvement in mood these last few months since she's been gone."

Kylo gave a low hum in agreement. "The galaxy seems… _happier_ than I've ever felt it since Snoke is finally gone."

Tomsega nodded and cast his eyes over the crowd. "I see Senator Truski. He'll probably support my petition. Excuse me." He took a few steps away and then looked back at Kylo, an unsure expression crossing the deep blue skin of his face. "Ah, may the Force be with you."

Kylo adjusted his grip on Arian's small body and twitched his fingers to the side as to open the glass door. He stepped into Poe's familiar sitting room and closed the door behind him.

"Hi, Master Ren." Jessika smiled up at him from the doorway, blocking Kylo from the hall leading to the kitchen.

Kylo sensed the same nervousness from her as he had in Sonzy. Arian grinned and grabbed at the ends of his hair. He lightly pushed the child's hand's down, distractedly glancing at Jessika. "I didn't know you and Luke had returned."

Jessika shifted her weight and shrugged. "We got back a few hours ago." She smiled nervously. "Uh, why don't you sit down? Arian looks fidgety."

Kylo felt out with the Force, feeling the presence of Sonzy and Kaydel in the kitchen along with Poe. He eyed Jessika suspiciously. "What're you hiding?"

Jessika's emotions vanished from the Force, and her expression told him she was concentrating on keeping him from sensing her. "Nothing. Why would you think that?" Kylo raised an eyebrow and fixed her with a dry look. Jessika chewed her lower lip. "Will Master Solo be here soon?"

"Soon, and I've told you that you don't need to formally refer to us by our titles anymore." Kylo ran his hand over Arian's back as he sensed the boy's agitation. "What are you and Sonzy hiding, Jessika?"

Jessika seemed to deflate with a long sigh, and her fingers tapped on her lightsaber hilt nervously. "We've, uh, planned a surprise for you and Mast - Rey."

Arian let out a sputtering laugh as Kylo's bewilderment radiated through the Force. He barely noticed the child begin to play with the ends of his hair again. "A surprise for what?"

Jessika's eyes flicked to Kylo's side, and her nervous expression lit up in a wide grin. Kylo vaguely sensed his wife enter the room behind him, but he continued to stare at Jessika. Rey wrapped an arm around his waist and raised an eyebrow up at him before beaming at Jessika. "Luke said the trip to Kiros went well. Did you break my husband?"

Jessika shook her head and gave a small laugh. "I just confused him." She paused for a moment, and Kylo felt Teela and Finn's presence join the others. "Let's, ah, go to the kitchen."

Kylo gave Rey a look and sensed her shared confusion as they followed Jessika into the kitchen. Kylo ducked to avoid the low arch and stopped. The kitchen was covered in colorful decorations that Kylo had not seen since C-3PO had somewhat successfully decorated the _Millennium Falcon_ when he turned five.

"Surprise!" Poe clapped Kylo's shoulder and held out a finger for Arian to grab onto. "Happy birthday, little man." He met Kylo's confused expression but unsurprised expression and shot a glare at Jessika. "I see _someone_ ruined the surprise."

Jessika raised her hands in mock surrender and stared to argue, but Teela cut her off. "We know Arian's first birthday is _next_ week, but we're not all going to be around. Plus, we haven't all had dinner together in months, and we wanted to surprise you."

Rey leaned her lightsaber against the wall and sat down next to Sonzy. A puff cake took up the middle of the table, and she eyed it for a moment before grinning up at Kylo. "We have a surprise for you all, too."

Kylo raised an eyebrow and rested a hand on Rey's shoulder. "Now?"

Rey nodded and held onto his hand, giving the assembled Jedi, Finn, and Poe her biggest smile. "We're pregnant."

"I knew it!" Jessika looked as if she had just won a galactic competition before she cleared her throat. "Uh, I mean, congratulations."

Poe moved forward and embraced Rey, clapping her on the back. "We had a feeling you two were keeping something from us. And I didn't even need the Force for that."

Kylo sat next to Rey, and Arian's small hands reached toward the cake. Kaydel giggled and smiled at the child. "Arian will have a friend to grow up with."

Finn and Poe set down plates of a festive meal that Rey immediately took a bite from without asking what it was called. Sonzy handed something that looked like a credit transfer module to Jessika under the table. Kylo caught the Togruta's eye and could not keep the chastising look on his face for long the orange of Sonzy's face deepened.

Poe handed Rey a cup of what smelled like chav and sat down in the last open chair. "So Finn and I were thinking about expanding the place a bit. Add a better place to store my ships, a bigger and nicer guest room," he paused for a moment to chew his food, and Kylo sensed a spark of nervousness from the pilot, "a nursery, you know. Just some extra things."

Rey looked up sharply. "A nursery? Are you two adopting?"

Poe chewed on his lower lip, telling Kylo where Jessika had picked up the same nervous tick. "Well, no. We were all talking earlier, and well, we all kind of… got used to having everyone here while the school was being rebuilt. We became a family, you know?" He met Kylo and Rey's gaze. "I know your rooms at the school are pretty comfortable, but you'd have a nice room here, and you could raise Arian and little unknown here away from the eyes of Coruscant and the rest of the galaxy, and we could see each other more, and it's not too far – "

"Poe's trying to ask if you'd like to move back in," Finn cut off Poe's ramble with a grin and nudged Jessika good naturedly. "We can't get rid of these hooligans anyway, so we want to bring the family back together."

Kylo and Rey did not need to look at each other as they both answered, "Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, folks. Our merry band is together again, and a little munchkin is on the way. A shout out to guest Clara for suggesting the Leia scene! If you liked my work, please check out my other Reylo fanfics and stay tuned for something new coming soon! Also come hang out with me on Tumblr. Thank you so, so much for reading and all the words of support.


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